Frivolity and Formality
by The Megalamoose
Summary: A young college student stumbles upon the greatest discovery of her life: the Turtles. Strange, dangerous creatures begin to appear the more she associates with them. Unable to tear herself away, she falls in love with the least likely character
1. Of Changing Leaves and Greasy Spatulas

**Okay! Hello all! This is my first attempt at a full story on FanFiction. I love to write, but sometime have a hard time dedicating myself. There, you have been warned.**

**My deep, dark confession: I don't know much about TMNT. –GASP- Yeah I know. As I am writing on the subject, I will most definitely be looking into it and doing the very best I can. But if I get something wrong you may by all means alert me. Just please don't be blathering on pointless information or things I frankly don't care about. Good ideas are welcomed and so are your thoughts, like I said.**

**I purely write for the joy of writing and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a great subject.**

**Disclaimer ("Finally!" you might say): As you probably well-know by now due to my continual babbling, I do not own the ninja turtles. However, I think that they are totally cool and I want to do them justice.**

**Rated 'T' for violence, adult themes, and minor language.**

* * *

Manhattan is beautiful in the fall.

Well, that was my opinion. Regardless of the steel and concrete structures which towered high and cold that composed the city, there were some beauties that had not been tainted.

Central Park, for instance, was quite a lovely place to be during the fall. The weather was cool and crisp. Strangely comforting was the harsh breeze playing with my hair. It brought back memories. I loved the cool weather. I sat on the park bench, lips pulled up into a smile as I gently tapped a foot to the rhythm of the coming season. Each time of the year had its own 'heartbeat.' Its own song.

The chill of autumn had come quickly and the people of New York were swift adapters. I couldn't help but remember what it had been like living in the country. Fall was the time of harvest and though there was plenty excitement traveling around, the people began to slowly deflate for the fact that summer was over. Clearly the hottest time of the year was a favorite where I had come from, in Pennsylvania. Things were different in the city.

I was almost sad to leave the park, crowned in its golden autumn glory, and the unnatural solitude I had discovered. The temperature was beginning to decline steadily and I found myself hastening to get to my car before the sun dropped completely below the horizon of skyscrapers and the silhouette of the city.

With a short burst of laughter, I picked up into a soft sprint. Soon I was running along with the wind and racing the multicolored leaves that it propelled. All too soon it was over and my hour of mirth had ceased. Life was packed too tightly together, it seemed. There wasn't enough time to have fun.

_This is me. This is my story. As unbelievable and implausible as it seems, it might amaze you._

I soon reached the parking lot, flushed and feeling a little silly for my running bout.

The ignition of the car revved to a start as I turned the key, pulling into reverse. I didn't reach for the heater, my fingers tingled.

"Yes, you definitely are a weird one," I muttered to myself, "You prefer the cold…"

"Alice McKellen! You've finally decided to join us today!"

My boss was a stout man, urgently needing a shave and usually carrying around a rather dangerous-looking kitchen utensil. He cooked better than any of the other employees and was incessantly haughty of the fact.

I stalked inside the diner, quite clean in contrast to my boss with his shabby appearance. That didn't concern him, he did more than his job back in the kitchen…but if I showed up one day with bed-head and large circles under my eyes, I would get kicked out. I was a waitress. Appearance was important.

"Aye, aye sir!" I swept a goofy bow, wide smile sliding onto my features. Gracefully I plucked the baseball cap from my head and shed my coat, skipping behind the counter to retrieve my waitress outfit. "Sorry for the delay," I added, just in case he really was ticked off today.

He wasn't, and Mr. Barb shook his head with a slight grin down at me.  
"Out playing around again, were you?" he said knowledgably, shaking the spatula as one would wag a finger at a naughty child. I opened my mouth to reply but waited until he had finished barking out another order to the back room.

"At least you won't have to worry about me staining the reputation of our wholesome business with black deeds," I said seriously, eyebrows raised as I reached behind my head to tie my rebellious hair into a ponytail.

He laughed and waddled back into the kitchen, I was off the hook. Well, mostly. I turned to face a womanly figure with her hands planted on her hips.

"Alice! I'm so relieved you're here!" Betty, my coworker, rasped. She was tall, curvy and slender for a woman of thirty-eight. She smelled distinctly of cigarettes and smoked them whenever she gave up on gnawing on nicotine chewing gum. Her mouth was empty at the moment and stretched into a lemon-sucking grimace. She glanced over her shoulder at something and the frown intensified.

I hesitated, though my fingers neve**r** fell in speed as they hurriedly bound the apron behind my back.  
"Truly. I am sorry, Bett. Can I work an extra hour earlier tomorrow to make up for it?"

"Were you in Central Park again?" She handed a young man and his date change as they paid. I was silent.

"So, what do you say?" I squeaked. An extra hour would be painful, but I could do it. Betty was a wonderful co-worker, and I didn't want her or any of the others to think I was a major slacker.

She smiled, "I'll tell you what, I have an idea how you can make up for it right now. I'm doing waitress duty right now and…" she jabbed her finger over her back and grunted. I stood on tiptoes to peer over at a certain couple sitting isolated in one of the booths.

"Ah." The ex-boyfriend. Gotcha.I conveyed this message with my eyes and snapped on my name tag with a flourish. I seized my notepad and stepped lightly over to begin my work. I smilingly felt Betty's eyes follow my progress as she removed her apron and uniform.

That was how things worked. I struggled not to be late, but sometimes a persistent last trait would rear its ugly head. I loved working the job, even when it was a tiring day and everyone was in a bad mood, or when it went overtime, or when we had bad business. It wasn't a big paying job, but it was something…and I was happy to have it.

It didn't matter whether I worked extra or not, my boss was a nice man. Because I had come in late that day I was dubbed eligible to stay until closing and help with the mopping. Oh joy. I didn't complain, but it was slow.  
Betty left promptly after I had done her ex-boyfriend and was sure to throw a few dirty looks over at them. I smiled in spite of myself; she could make you a miserable person if you really asked for it.

All in all, it was another regular day.


	2. Enter Leonardo

**Voila! Chapter number two!**

**So okay it's not really all that great. I don't like rushing things so I am going to take it slow. But please...pay attention to what is being said in these seemingly uninteresting chapters. Before all the action and drama commences, I will be dropping little hints in unexpected areas.**

**Patience is a very golden virtue.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ninja Turtles! They belong to Mirage Studios and were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in 1983. Go them**!

* * *

"Come on. Can you at least _try _to care, Raphael?"

It was a struggle to keep his countenance under control and at this point he would willingly admit it. Master Splinter would not have been pleased, but the ninja wasn't exactly feeling like becoming altruistic towards anyone at the moment. He liberated himself in his own eyes with the notion that everyone was allowed to have a bad day now and then. The turtle-man closed the discussion further from his mind. A weakness, inevitably.

He was, however, at least able to restrain huffing an impatient sigh.

"Shuddup Leo and _maybe_ I'll put in a lil' effort," his partner retorted with a hint of sarcasm.

Leonardo stifled his hypercritical growl, leaning against a long, pale-grey chimney. They were atop the outskirts of the city, the bustling; persistent sounds of the day had died down to the slow-moving lull of nighttime.

What were they traipsing about on the rooftops for? It appeared to be a last minute mission of said importance. Or according to what had happened just a little bit earlier indicated so.

Master Splinter had paired Donatello with Michelangelo and guess with what container of sunshiny joy Leo was left with?  
Oh great, now Raph wasn't the only one being sarcastic.

"Hurry up," he allowed himself to be a little less grudging. After all, they were kith and kin.

Raphael stuffed the already-crumpled piece of paper under his belt, his face flashing with new information.

"Well?" Leo folded broad arms.

"C'mon."

"You're not being very explanatory," he reminded his brother, promptly keeping up with him with a slight flicker of irritation. He quickened his pace, leaping easily from building from building. Loving and helping to protect his family was Leo's job but it wasn't always that they made it easy for him.

Raph seized a flagpole and used it to swing over a gap and land on the desired building. Leonardo utilized an alternate route, coming to the same position by skimming along a bordering brick wall.

He sighed. _At least the weather's pleasantly cool; I hadn't been able to handle the choking temperature the summer had cast upon us all. The sewers were wretched._

"We have a basic job. Lately the crime has been down n'all in the city so Master Splinter's probably jus' sendin' us on random quests," Raph was musing aloud, breaking Leo's temporary train of thought.

Leo grunted his disagreement, shaking his head. Their sensei didn't send them on worthless missions. He didn't say anything though; there needn't be a raging dispute this night. It had been a long, rather erratically vexing day. Raph had caused him to drop one of his katanas in the sewer and 'forgot' to apologize, and he retaliated somewhat by refusing to get off his back that day about certain things. Sometimes you just had to be persistent, right?

It would suffice to say, that he wasn't having the best of days.

The blue-clad ninja turtle didn't need to encourage Raph to go faster. In fact, they broke out into an impressive gait after a few minutes.  
After some slight misdirection-in which both of the ninja turtles unspeakably managed to keep their temper-they were finally reaching their destination. Not without, however, a few dirty looks and Raphael muttering an audible swearword under his breath as Leo snatched the blue print away after they came to a stop.

"A bank?" The duo crouched on a buidling casting their gaze down to the space in front of them. A small parking lot and rather insignificant brown establishment sat eclipsed in a strange silence. Leonardo double checked all their directions. Normally they would've just memorized it before embarking...tonight was an exception.

"Independent Bank of Bukks, never even heard of it," Leo mused, hearing Raph pull to a stop behind him. The lights were dimmed and whatever illumination it still withheld leaked out softly through double glass doors and onto smooth white asphalt. It certainly wasn't anything fancy, and all was surprisingly quiet around the area. They exchanged glances, and behind both pairs of brown eyes was a similar conclusion.

"If Master Splinter had known there was gonna been a robbery tonight he woulda mentioned it to all of us," his brother commented thoughtfully.

"Agreed," Leo scanned the streets attentively, "I'm sure there is something else going on. Our mission was to locate the area specified and we have. Are you quite sure we went the right way?"

"Yeah."

"Bukks…" he turned his musing eyes back upon the establishment before facing Raphael. "Let's remember the name and the location."

The former Nightstalker jerked his head in a nod before waving off, "C'mon, let's get outta here. I'm hungry."

The side of Leonardo's mouth twitched up, "You know, I am a little, too."

* * *

At age nineteen I live by myself, for the most part. I visit my parents and brother a lot. Most of the time, my brother was visiting me. He was an awful gambler and I worried a lot regardless of my often sunny and flippant disposition. I loved my family, and there was a very strong bond of trust between us. Perhaps this was unusual; many a raised eyebrow and welcome disbelief I received when reciting my family background.

I inserted my only apartment key into the doorknob and pushed the door open later that night, the buzz of the TV bounced off the walls of my apartment. Juggling bags from the supermarket in my hands and brushing hair from my vision, I edged in, sending my gaze in a perceptive search for the obvious culprit.

"So what's up this time, Hunter?" I said pleasantly, kicking the door shut behind me.

I wasn't surprised. My parents, my brother, and at least two of my cousins held keys to my apartment. I wasn't even sure how many copies have been made of my apartment key. It was no abnormal show when I came home to company.

A long form emerged from the couch, tangled in my clean throw blanket and dislodging a few pillows from their immaculate positions. If only he wouldn't make such a mess when he stayed over…

"Alice," he smirked, reaching forward to pull me into a headlock after ambling comfortably into the kitchen. That was the sort of thing we did at age fourteen; then again, when ever had my brother or I grown up? I hid my own smirk as I accepted the 'embrace.' I might as well be charitable.

"Here, help me with the groceries. Have you had dinner?"

As usual, I made him help me with the dishes after he had lightened me of my food stock. He grinned good-naturedly, pretending to mope as I handed him the washcloth. My brother was a handsome man, older than myself…but not palpably so. He looked quite the opposite of me: surfer-tanned skin that was not common for a New Yorker, baby blue eyes, prominent chin, and dimples.

It was getting later into the night, and I was tired. School had been almost as long as work had been, already the walk I'd had in Central Park seemed to have been an age ago. I longed to be outside in the fresh air again without a care in the world...but alas, responsibility calls.

I stepped briefly into the bathroom to get changed; afraid to leave my clueless brother alone for too long (Seriously, I loved those plates. All of them.).

I gazed critically into the mirror at my own reflection; the lighting gave my ivory skin a slightly tinged and none-too-flattering appearance. My hair was a deep, dark chocolate, very rich in color with the tiniest tint of natural auburn. In my opinion I was too short and small. I was curvy, but not all that buxom.

Quickly I shrugged out of my clothes and into a pair of sweats and a black tank top. The shirt cast quite a contrast to my skin, but I liked the color black. My hair was a frizzy mess, but that was expected from such a non-stop day. It was curly and rowdy; people reminded me frequently how it matched my personality. I couldn't quite disagree, unfortunately. Smirking at this thought, I yanked it back into a messy bun and quitted the bathroom, making a beeline back to the kitchen.

"You need to get a job, Hunter," this came after a long pause (after I had inspected the status of my dishes; they were all intact).

There was a breif silence, most of the time I was very light and buoyant around my brother. We got along very well and he enjoyed staying with me rather than my parents because I, unlike my father, didn't get on his case as much as I should.

Not that I supported the careless gambling. He could go for months without doing it and then suddenly crack. Money that had taken months of work to get would be gone in a few hours' time. He had had a job, but it was only a matter of time before he was a fired. This recently became a pattern.

He sighed, "Not you, too, Alice."

"I care about you," I frowned, sitting on my kitchen counter. Mother wouldn't have improved, but I had a place of my own now. I kicked my dangling legs gently, bouncing my glance towards my spotless tiled floor. I took good care of my apartment. Freedom and independence is something to be cherished.

"I know," he sighed. I slipped from my sitting position, not making a sound as my bare feet hit the chilled floor. Wordlessly I wound my fingers around the handle of a kitchen draw to retrieve a dish towel. I stepped up next to him to assist; the difference between our heights was almost comical.

I had an idea. "I'll help you," I offered, "We can drive around in my car and check out a few places; you can put your application in different spots and won't even have to pay the gas for it."

He grinned, handing me a sopping plate still dripping with a few suds. I pushed it back towards him with a trace of a scowl. He grinned harder, running it under the water, knowing my taste for all-things-neat.

"Alright, I accept. Just lay off on bossing around."

"You know I won't." I grinned, "But perhaps I will if you go the extra mile. Head online and try to find a few jobs to print out on paper that we can look for as we drive. Guess we can grab a newspaper, too."

I went to bed that night feeling pretty good. There was always something to be grateful for, and not often I went to bed with an empty feeling in my stomach.

I lay awake for a long time, staring up at my ceiling and tracing the cracks embedded in it with my eyes. No thoughts raced through my mind as they sometimes did. This was just another night spent in silent contemplation about...well...nothing.  
Was it time for a change? Or was I just…not adapting well to this repetitive world very well?

I didn't realize what was coming my way.


	3. A New Lead

**Action is going to take a little while to start up. Don't hate on any of my overused plotlines =)**

**Disclaimer: Oh...you know...**

* * *

We hadn't been able to start the job hunt until a day later. Not that anything interesting had occurred on Thursday, just that I worked harder to arrive to class and work on time. The weather seemed to grow steadily icier, to the point where it was almost unusual… yet no one really batted an eye at it. Citizens were much too busy doing other things.

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, letting my gaze take in the interior of my car. For the moment I was alone in the vehicle, heaters cranked up and the ignition rumbling continually beneath me. The morning was one big rush. My alarm clock went off late and I was throwing my hair back into a ponytail and stepping into old jeans at the same time. Hunter had been a pain to drag out of bed. I had almost despaired to the point of pouring cold water on him, but he sensed my annoyance and rose.

Hunter jerked the car open and slid into the passenger seat, I blinked as a rush of cool air confronted me. I scanned his face.

"So?"

"No luck, he looked me up and down once and turned me away. I didn't leave without these, however." He grinned and I noticed a brown paper bag in his hand.  
I smiled, I should've known he would go and buy something. Still, it was something sweet to consume and I could stand that right about now. Now all that I could ask for was a hot chocolate, perhaps.

"Peanut butter fudge?" I backed out of the parallel parking space.  
"Sprinkles, too." I watched him set my treat into my cup holder.  
"Man, too bad you didn't get the job," I grinned.  
"I know. The cashier was pretty hot…"  
I rolled my eyes at the irrelevance.

This went on for several hours. Hunter was ready to give up around lunchtime but I wouldn't allow it. Sometimes he didn't want to go in alone and my hard resolve was punctured under the pitiful gaze of those blue eyes. I would follow him out wondering aloud how the oldest could be the true baby of the family.

By the time supper rolled around we were tired and hungry, epecially the male. I finally gave up on when he began commenting loudly on the delectable scent wafting in a Chinese restaurant nearby. This was, of course, while he was supposed to be filling out applications at this pizza place.

"We got several papers in, so that's good," Hunter glanced a little unhappily at his snack wrap at first but devoured it without a complaint. I pressed the tips of my fingers together, knowing what he had had in mind.  
"Hopefully someone will call," I agreed, through this whole ordeal being much less lackadaisical than my clueless brother. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy having him over-the company was welcomed—he just really needed a job.

The afternoon passed without incident and as it swung into evening, I took my brother along with me to a few different places. It wasn't long before the excuses for getting a taxi cropped up.

"Heading out to see a college friend of mine," he explained. It was a Friday night; the city was quite glorious in its lights and flashy stores. So okay, most of the things I couldn't afford anyway…but I was in the mood to at least look around.

"Are you sure you're not just ditching me because I'm shopping?"

He smirked, "It doesn't take much to shop you out, sister. You won't get mugged or anything, will you?"

"Please, not with these guns," I flexed my scrawny arm.

He chuckled, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Even though we were in a rather dressy department store (under the glare of meticulous storekeepers), he still managed to capture me into a headlock and jog out of the store jovially. I ignored the looks and continued to shop with a smile on my face.

My brother lacked a few things, but perception and observation was not one of them. Quickly I tired of looking around, and while I satisfied with the pair of dress slacks I had purchased, it wasn't long before I was clambering back into my new Chevrolet Cobalt. It was a rather nice birthday present last year and a car I was pretty dang proud of. My uncle was rich. He and I had always been good pals.

I thought about driving straight back to the apartment and engaging in a book or TV. I could buy something on Pay-Per-View and dish myself out some ice cream. I was in the mood to do something. Something comforting and relaxing, perhaps treat myself. Pulling my car out of the parking, I edged into traffic and took an alternate route to somewhere that might be a little less busy.

* * *

It was a laid-back night and there was a bit of thought traveling around as to what was going on. Master Splinter behaved strangely quiet that day and no dramatic buzz of soap operas commenced, he seemed to be purely contemplative if not set on edge. Tea had been brewing much more commonly over the past few brothers mused this and Leo kept coming back to respectfully inquire as to why his Master felt this way. No, it was something they were to figure out themselves.

_"You have the clues, Leonardo. They are surprisingly easy for the rank of the enemy we might be facing. It triggered a bit of suspicion within me, but it should not be a difficult job."_

_He blinked, taking this information in. "Yes, Master."_

Life was normal. Time had passed and things had come about and gone. He wasn't the same turtle he had been a few years ago. Sure some things always stayed the same, like the explicit personalities of his brothers…and probably himself. Sometimes he wondered if they actually had done any growing up at all. Well, as far as maturity went. There had been a little bit of a growth spurt, Donny outgrew them all surprisingly and was well aware of the face. Still, Leo wasn't all that shabby himself.

Normality lurked in their life and despite whatever differences had come up in the past few years, they essentially were the same.  
Mikey's comic book collection had grown and he had added several new CD racks to his room, then there were still the ever creative ways of how to win the last piece of pizza. He had also discovered energy drinks, and this habit of consumption was _heavily_ discouraged by his kin.  
Donatello immersed himself in his own work and hobbies during free time. He spent more hours than Leo could count pouring over his new set of encyclopedias and nearly flipped his lid when Mikey spilled Red Bull on the hardback cover of Encyclopedia B-C. Several new inventions found their ways into the lives of the turtles thanks to Don and he was proud of it.

Raphael spent a lot of time with Casey, well, whenever the man wasn't with April (that was an entirely different story together) and the two still prowled the streets in night in hopes of catching some crime to deal with. He was learning the drums. It was something he said helped clear his mind and center himself in 'his own way' Splinter accepted it even if Leo was skeptical. If Raph was in a bad mood, oftentimes would create a racket of sorts until someone grew fed up.

In short, everyone was fine, normal, but having grown in skills and in experience. Leo surveyed all of these, sometimes accused of being tightly-wound and a worrywart. Really, he did try to relax and joke around with the others sometimes, but there were often much more important things to do. There were always things to improve on, and self-discipline to be mastered. Life was wonderfully routine now, and he enjoyed it...amidst a few snags here and there.

This was before they had come upon..._that girl._

Back to the present for now…

"But it's a Friday night!" Donatello looked aghast. Ever since one of the 'incidents' he was rather gun-shy around the busy weekends. Let's just say that they were very near to being seen by a large group and Don at been at the brunt of it.

"Yes, it is, my son," was the steadfast reply behind the magazine Master Splinter was reading.

Raph was growing impatient, "What was the name o' the place you guys found last night?"

"Wasn't it some kind of school, Donny?" Mikey was a bit distracted at the moment, rooting around for something to eat. He was muttering absently and no one seemed to being paying attention.

"Star Academy," Don said dryly. "It was a rather infinitesimal college for New York. I'm assuming though, that it has nothing to do with the discovered places…what do they have in common?"

Leo blinked suddenly, "They don't. It _doesn't_ have anything to do with the locations."  
There was a silent gawping that replied to this statement

"Where is it then?" Raph crossed his arms.

"I'm in the mood for something but I can't tell what it is…" Mikey rambled on in the background, a mite irritated when no one paid him even a peripheral glance of recognition.

"The names," Leonardo snapped his fingers, trying to keep them focused. "Bukks and Star. Bukkstar?"

"Oh I know! A cappuccino!" Michelangelo snapped his fingers and lunged for his coat excitedly.

"Mikey! This ain't no time for Starbucks!" Raph snapped.

They all froze and stared at one another.


	4. One Steaming Cup Full of Disaster

**Ah the joys of being able to label chapter titles at whichever level of cheesiness we so desire...  
I have fun with those sort of random, little things.**

**This is my largest chapter yet. I was thinking of ways I could break it up into two chapters and draw it out, but I decided against it. You all would probably be sick of it by then, and it should be far too intriguing for that ;-)**

**Without further ado, indulge yourselves, and I would actually appreciate reviews on this one. It's nice to know if the direction I'm going in is a good one.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But Mikey owns me (with his awesomeness).**

* * *

I closed my eyes, inhaling the steam with a comforted sigh. After a few moments of warm solitude I opened them and took in the café. It was a small Starbucks, not too far from my apartment, but I had come here several times before. It was chilly outside, but I felt quite warm. I sat in the chair comfortably in a T-shirt and jeans.

The ever present aroma of coffee blended nicely with the warm atmosphere. It wasn't anything too hip or amazing, but comfortable. I wrapped my long fingers around the warm exterior of the cup, a slight tinkling from the door indicating that a customer had left. It was surprisingly empty in here, and on a Friday night. The cashier was mumbling quietly to her co-worker.

I took a careful sip, my eyes slipping along the walls and surveying their clean state, when I paused. Oh, so I wasn't the only person here. I was a little disappointed for some reason to see two men conversing quietly in the opposite corner. Out of either random boredom or sudden whim, I desired to further investigate. I didn't know that moment that this was the turning point in my quiet, lovely night. Or for that matter, my life.

They spoke so quietly and swiftly that their words were almost motions in themselves. I also realized that for one reason or another I couldn't quite make out their expressions and their faces. I wrinkled my brow in perplexity.

Yes, one man was wearing a long, black cloak with an enormous collar that was turned up to conceal all but a glinting pair of grey eyes that gave off the distinct impression that he was aggravated as he spoke.  
The other was…less covered up, but he kept turning his head in ways that made it frustratingly difficult for me to get a glimpse of him from the angle I spied. Even so, there seemed to be a strange shadow enveloping the duo.

I realized that all my scrutinizing had caused me to forget my steaming latte; I took another larger sip and winced when it scalded my throat. Almost immediately without much regard to my pained mouth, I glanced back up at the men I was unable to forget about.

Imagine the start I received when both of them were staring at me.

_Caught._ I thought unhappily, and I made to look away. It is always embarrassing when someone you are staring at suddenly meets your eyes. What shocked me was when I could not manage the feat of merely looking away. My eyes were snared on them like a fox in a trap, I could not look away. It was suddenly impossible.

Their appearances seemed unreal, like their very existence could be doubted. But how could that be possible? And though they were both looking at me-with speculative expressions—I still couldn't discriminate them clearly.

Some part of my conscience suddenly told me to run. But what kind of idiocy was that?

The high-collared one got to his feet. A flash of fear rippled through me when he did not take his gaze off of me. I had to stand up, right now.

I was paralyzed.

This time panic shot through me like adrenaline, my heart began pumping like a humming bird's wings. He was slowly closing the distance, and without having to be told, I knew there was reason to dread what may happen if he reached me.

Suddenly with a burst of strength and determination, I jerked to my feet. I could barely hear the screech of my chair against the floor or my cup clatter over the edge of the table.

Now that I was on my feet, I took several steps back…my body seemed released from the spell…but my mind was still shocked.  
The man paused, for a moment he looked taken aback. Slowly he reached inside his coat pocket. I couldn't realize why my throat wouldn't open. Why couldn't I speak?

Suddenly a scream pierced the air, penetrating the dream-like state I had been in. Though my mouth was open, the sound hadn't come from myself. I glanced over at the workers who were frozen in place. Their faces reflected pure horror. I blinked, what didn't I see that they saw? I was so confused. They were gazing at these men like they were serial killers or some kind of monster straight out of a science fiction movie.

I was completely unaware how accurate that passing thought had been.

Things happened so fast.

Gunfire filled the air for two short seconds and the thump of bodies resounded through my mind. I opened my mouth to shout out, but I couldn't speak. My body was growing stiff again, and this time my vision was abating. The girls…dead.

_It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare._

The man was bending over me. I could barely make out his features. How did I get on the floor?

Then I heard them.

The fog-like state snapped off abruptly as the man disappeared from my vision. Not without violence, however.  
A flash of dark green pushed him into a few tables beyond me. Glass that delicately composed the tabletops shattered as two forms crashed into the wall. Abstract paintings hanging above clattered to the floor and cracks suddenly shot through the cranberry-hued textured tiles adorning the wall. The inhuman snarling filled my ears.

"Get him, Mikey! Hurry, where's Raphael?"

"Unhand me!"

There it was. The chilling, heart-stopping voice.

I struggled to gain complete control and slid to a sitting position. I was dizzy, but sitting nonetheless.

I gasped when a form was flung backwards into the table I had sat in only seconds before. I cringed violently away. Not so much by the strange strength of these men, but they themselves.

But imagine my surprise at what kind of green creature picked himself up from the wreckage not two yards from me. It looked like...a_ turtle_. I stared, dumbstruck, as he (positive it was a he) disentangled himself and ripped out a pair of sword-like instruments. I shrunk against the wall as that same strange man came back, and his collars were down.

The black coat he had been wearing was ruffled. His dark grey eyes rippled with indignation and his face…was so beautiful. The man had to be in about his forties, with graying brown hair, but he was incredibly handsome.  
The other man, the quick-moving, shadowy one, was battling with—another one of the turtle-men.

There was no doubt about this. I was traumatized for life.

The black coated-man threw himself at the mutant. He moved smoothly and quickly, yet his actions were not quite…right. For some reason every part of my instinct suddenly vouched for this green man with the shell. Yes. It just seemed right. The two were now entangled in a deadly battle, swapping attacks, blocking each other swiftly and once or twice issuing a hiss or angry retort.

The other weird man picked up one of the turtles and in one smooth, terrifying motion threw him out the window directly above me. The window wasn't big enough, of course, but that didn't seem to matter…he still made way through. I cringed as glass rained down on me, squeezing myself harder into the wall for as much cover as possible. No one _seemed_ to notice me, so immersed in fighting they were.

The other indescribable man hissed and leaped straight over me and out the hole after the being he had just tossed.

Another turtle-like guy joined the mess to fight the Cloak-Guy. They were teaming up on him. I wasn't sure. It seemed like everywhere I looked there was a freak to be seen. They just kept coming. I was not in the right state of mentality to be assessing the situation appropriately.

Then, I saw it.

My chance to escape had arrived. I stared at the clear pathway between myself and the door, which was untouched and suddenly the most important thing in my vision. I seriously wouldn't have noticed if light from heaven fell upon the exit and someone began playing the harp in the background.

The decision clicked in my mind and I rose and ran.

It had to be the most terrifying experience I'd had yet. My hands were up near my face as if they could possibly deflect any damage that could be heading my way. I didn't look at my surroundings, only at the door.

It is almost at this point where you, the reader, generally assume that something happens to halt my departure. I was so surprised when my fingers contacted the cool handle of the glass door and I immediately exerted pressure.  
Much more than was essential, but in this state I was jerky and uncoordinated. The surging waves of adrenaline did not help me.

I stumbled out onto the pavement, not sure if anyone had seen me…though I had thought I felt eyes on my back. Whether they were the eyes of the turtle men or the other strange being, I was unsure. I was vaguely aware that there was one of each being outside right now. I bolted to my parked car; it was swathed beautifully in the light of a streetlamp. I didn't dare to let the relief come yet.

Something hit me with the force that I knew could crush me if desired. Yet all that filtered through my vision was a blur of dimmed colors until whatever was dragging me pulled to a stop.

I gasped. The tall, figure barred any escape with the iron grip of his arm across my waist. It had been the other man, who, now up close, I could make out of more. A shock of platinum blonde hair obscured most of his face-he didn't need high collars. Though from what I could see from his shimmery appearance, he also was extremely handsome and much younger than the first creature, with tanned skin and a dimple smack dab on his chin.

"Don't worry," he said soothingly, and I realized with another ripple of manifesting astonishment that he was speaking to me. He grinned radiantly. "We're going to get you out of here."

The voice was so terrifyingly beautiful and just entirely wonderful that I almost immediately succumbed and stopped my fighting uselessly against his arm. My brain was pelted with confusion. Weren't these two men the same ones from whence I had heard the cold-blooded screeching and hissing? But, perhaps it would be so easy…just to listen….

I was forced to rip my eyes off of my captor's face as the shattering of glass resounded throughout the night. The fight was moved outside now, and turtle-creature eyes were taking account of me…or already had. For two of them were converging on the man binding me.

"End of the line, dude!"

"Gonna kick your little ass!"

The creature took a few steps back, effortlessly dragging me with him. In a burst of sense I pushed away, my numb brain almost wondering why my body was trying to disobey the beautiful thing's order. This man promised security, right? Yet, beneath the fog, my survival instincts were still there.

The monster holding me emanated a short hiss; it caused both the turtle men to flinch.

Then all was distracted, even my deadened thoughts, by what happened next. In the background, where the other two turtles were fighting the Cloak-Guy…there came a large, brutal crash.

"NO!" I suddenly found my voice.

I saw the body make contact with my beautiful blue Cobalt. Reality hit me like a battering ram. Somewhere a car alarm shrilled, adding to the catastrophe (I wasn't sure at this point whether it could possibly be mine or another car in the parking lot). The crunching and crinkling of glass and metal as the figure picked himself gingerly up, caused me to wince.

"LEO!"

I wasn't paying attention to who was shouting or even what he was saying, I couldn't tear my eyes away.

With a snarl, the turtle wielding the staff (it might've been the one thrown out of the window in the first place) took a swing at the Cloak-Guy. The fight seemed to be continuing.

I was dropped, and no longer captivated by the horrific beauty of the white-haired man behind me. I knelt on the ground, crouching defensively as sound whistled through my ears. The notion of my vehicle crushed and mutilated beyond repair reverberated through my head. How was I supposed to escape now?

I scrambled to my feet, only with the intention of fleeing. This madness I was caught up in was unbearable and I was quite unable to adequately suffer the loss of my precious car due to the stifling amounts of shock crashing through me.

I hadn't taken three steps before I heard a familiar pronounced hiss.

"Oh no you don't!"

And then blackness seeped vindictively into my senses. I knew no more.


	5. Reality Check

**So our little female character has been knocked out, from last we saw her. Where is she now (well you can probably already guess)?**

**Many questions from the previous chapter will remain unsolved until my next one. For this chapter, I wanted there to be a little down time between her and a few of the Turtles, primarily Mikey. It will come in handy in the near future...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ninja Turtles. I do not have any witty remarks depicting how they don't belong to me. **

* * *

"I don't understand why you just didn't leave her. How much of a problem can one girl cause us? Maybe she woulda thought that she dreamed us up."

"You can't exactly dream up that, Raphael. The evidence was pretty clear, that coffee shop won't be getting much business any time soon."

Voices. They registered in my brain, and for a moment, my head reeled with pain, but I got a grip on myself and remained calm. I was warm and…there was some kind of blanket covering me. I kept my eyes tight and breathing calm.

"D'you think people would believe her? They'd think she was crazy."

I was surprised by the tones of the speakers. Perhaps once I opened my eyes I would find myself in a police station or the emergency room. Somewhere normal after an ordeal like that would be welcomed. No, the words of the conversation were sinking in.

I still relished how completely normal their voices were. Human-sounding. Comforting. I needed something normal.

"Definitely don't think she'd deserve that, dude."

I finally stirred. I could only pretend the situation was okay for so long.  
The previous speaker, with his calm and young voice, began to say something else but was interrupted as I moved.

"Shh!"

I cracked my eyelids open, bracing myself for whatever horrors or objects of riveting shock I might discover.  
I registered several things at once, at least giving myself credit for that much. First of all I was lying on a couch in a wide, open, but dimly lit area.

Things came into focus and I noticed four beings all sitting on the opposite side, facing me. All of them were silent and staring save for one. I let my eyes travel between the turtle-like-men and worked mentally on not having a heart attack.  
Now that everything wasn't a flurry of action, I could tell the differences between them. Even if they were only slight at first glance, they were obvious.

The one nearest to me wore the purple, and if I recalled, he was the one with the staff. I could even make out his expression and how it differed from the others'. How interesting.

"Are you alright?" he asked me slowly. I wondered what exactly my facial expression was telling them. From their apprehensiveness I could tell they might've been nervous, too. Just nowhere near as close as I was on that scale.

Then it hit me.

A turtle…of all creatures…was speaking to me. He and the others were waiting for my reply. I gathered my wits about me, as painfully slow as it seemed.

"Physically or mentally?" I was awed at the sound of my voice, which sounded firm and assured, but with the audible hint of sarcasm.  
Perhaps it was fueled by the defeat of my car, for which I felt an inward mourning of sorts.

He blinked, I liked the human reaction. It restored a little of my confidence. He had a friendly face and something about his voice just told me he was intelligent, or maybe it was the spark in his eyes.

"Well Donny, she seems pretty sane to me!" The voice was the same perky one and I immediately warmed to the character speaking. Wide, goofy smile and orange mask, he was lounging comfortably with his hand in a bag of potato chips but retracting none of the contents.

Then there was the darker-skinned turtle with the red mask and the short knives for weapons. He must've been the one with the gruff voice. He wore no particular expression but just studied me in a way that made me a little nervous, as if he didn't trust me at all. There was another one, too. I knew that for sure. I let my eyes settle on him.

He was facing another direction, not seeming to pay the slightest attention to the conversation but if anything seemed a bit impatient with the way his foot tapped on the ground. My eyes returned to the friendly one, who seemed to be expectantly waiting for a reply.

"I'm not sure about that," I contradicted with a snort. My voice wasn't shaky, so I continued."But let's just get this settled. I went in for a caramel latte last night, was ambushed by those…weird things, suddenly you guys come out of nowhere and start fighting them, my car gets crushed…" I frowned involuntarily, "…I get knocked out by who-knows-what, and suddenly I wake up in…" I glanced around, confusion lacing my features, "…wherever-this-is."

"That's right. You seem pretty calm despite the circumstances," Donny remarked.

"I'm surprised, too," I nodded, indeed talking in a calm fashion that did not match the hysterics that must be somewhere beneath the surface. "So I mean," I continued, "What happened?"

"We were hoping you would tell us the same thing." A new voice.

I blinked, looking for the speaker, but realized I had heard it a few times during the whole ordeal. The other turtle. He still hadn't turned to face me yet, but looked as if he were concentrating on something important.  
Finally, as I was speechless momentarily, he turned and looked me in the eye.

"That's part of the reason why we took you back. Why were they so interested in you?"

I paused, rewinding the events in my mind so that they were clearer. It was true…I had been scooped up by the pretty, white-haired man. I felt goose bumps run up my arm when I remembered his voice. Well, I tried to remember it.  
It had seemed so clear then, but I could barely recall the melodic tones now.

"I…I don't know," I offered, with a little more timidity. I suddenly felt saddened remembering the cashiers. "Those poor people," I sighed, "This is serious, isn't it?"  
A cloud seemed to be cast upon them all. The reply I didn't get straight away painted an answer for me. My expression fell.

"We are not sure how serious, yet."

I looked over to the owner of the new voice and my jaw dropped. I couldn't help myself. A big overgrown rat was speaking to me, entering the space. He continued on, apparently unaware of my goggling.

"The casualties were not expected," he said quietly. I couldn't quite drink in his demeanor. "And my regrets, young lady, that you were involved in all of this. Clearly you have nothing to do with these opponents."

This did nothing to answer the multitude of questions rearing through my mind. And I still didn't know what or who they were, where I was, and how in the world things were ever going to go back to normal.

"But, Master Splinter," the serious turtle turned to the rat-man, treating him with utmost respect. "The others…were killed but she wasn't? They were trying to make off with the girl when we were there."

I was probably a fat lot more confused about that than they were. I mean…how did I even get knocked out in the first place? Had it been that platinum blonde? What happened afterwards? There was a slight pause.

"Have patience, my son. Forgive me, miss, what is your name?" At least the rat had respect…and in a way…he seemed to be very eligible for it himself.

"Alice." I spoke my name after a quick moment of deliberation

"Alice, Leo here will take you home."

"What?" Both our voices rose up at the same time. Both sounded perplexed to my ears.

"Prepare yourself Leonardo. We mustn't keep her waiting."

The blue-clad turtle looked a little dumbstruck at what his master was ordering. He didn't draw out the disagreement and turned off. I tried to see where he was going at and let my eyes traverse the strange-smelling area I was located in, but my attention was sought after again.

"Seriously, you should be by all rights scared out of your wits," the purple turtle said thoughtfully. "I'm Donatello, by the way."

"Yeah, but we just call him Donny for short. I'm Michelangelo, but that's really a mouthful so—"

"Appropriate since you're a _handful_ as well," interjected the gruff turtle.

"Mikey's the name!" Mikey the orange-masked turtle went on as if he hadn't noticed. "That crank is Raphael."

"I'm outta here," came the grunt reply as the darker-skinned one swiveled around and lumbered off in another direction.

Mikey grinned, winking at me. I couldn't help but smile back. This guy was easy to be around…regardless of what he actually _was._ Donatello was sitting back, tinkering with a small elaborate-looking object and yet obviously still paying attention to what was being said. The rat-man, or Master Splinter, had disappeared somewhere, perhaps to talk with the blue-turtle.

"So…Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and Leonardo" I grinned a little, "I like your names."

"Master Splinter, our Sensei, he found us and gave them to us. We're brothers!" Mikey explained. I found myself seriously considering what the story behind this might be. I would leave contemplating for later when I wasn't discussing with turtle/human hybrids. Or whatever they were.

They were brothers. That was one thing. Adopted by a rat. I must be losing my mind.

I nodded with a bit of a pause. I was slowly, but surely, feeling the color return to my cheeks. It was as if my body hadn't really believed that I might be able to go back to my home safe and sound.

"Hey…your shirt…" Mikey was starting to say.

I blinked, a bit confused, glancing down. The jacket I had been wearing at the coffee shop had been removed. It hung over the couch arm within my reach. My T-shirt was black, with one of my favorite bands stamped boldly on the front.

"…you like Family Force 5?"  
I grinned and nodded.  
"Dude, they are so cool!"  
"Favorite song?"  
"Love Addict…def-in-it-lee," he exaggerated each syllable.

Donatello looked bored. I couldn't hide my smile.

He shook his head, naming off a few of his favorite artists with his fingers. I watched as he soon ran out of fingers to count them on. Surprisingly we had quite a few things in common and a few minutes passed by in considerable comfort. Human-like, that was the word coming to mind.

"I guess I'm not going to find out anything about what you guys…where you came from?" I scratched my head, hopefully. It couldn't hurt to ask.

"Not tonight," said Don with a mild smile. I understood not to pursue the subject.  
"Thought I'd try, anyhow."  
"I commend you for that," he hardly glanced up, but somehow I believe him.

There was a pause.

"So...what did you order?" Mikey prodded. "Frappaccino…?"  
I let out a little laugh at the utter irrelevance of the inquiry. I couldn't help but answer. "Caramel latte."  
The turtle looked elated that he had made me chuckle. "Sweet. Coffee is…amazing."  
"You just like the caffeine," Donatello said knowledgably.

I smiled, and while they were questioning the subject, told them my actual experience. Both turtle ninjas quieted for a moment to hear my story, not that it was much.

"But why would they be interested in you? That's the information we can't seem to acquire." Don sighed, using what sounded like his professional voice.

I shuddered, "What were those things, anyway?"

"Whatever they were…we want to find out more about them so we can stop this—" he broke off and I followed his gaze to see Leonardo standing there. He wore a long sweeping trench coat and a big hat. The disguise adequately kept hidden what needed to be. Yet this only made him look all the more bulky and intimidating. It didn't help that he looked slightly cross.

"Are you ready?" I realized he was talking to me.

How in the world could I not be ready?


	6. Tentative First Impressions

**I do not own the Turtles. I ****_do _****own Hunter and Alice. The plot is completely mine, as well.**

**This is a special chapter, it's the first time Leo and Alice really get talking. As unpromising as things seem at first, Alice has quite a number of things to think over when she gets back home.**

**Hopefully I can do a good job with Leo. Remember, if I'm not portraying a character the right way, just say the word. I hate not being able to do a subject right.**

**Hey to everyone who is reviewing! I really do appreciate it and since you caught me in such a good mood, (I napped for three-and-a-half hours today. w00t!) I'm going to dedicate this chapter to ya'll. Enjoy!**

* * *

I nodded, getting to my feet so swiftly that I collected looks all around. I noticed that Master Splinter was watching in the background. There was something about his penetrating gaze that unnerved me at that point in time. It was like he was looking right through me. I wasn't afraid of this place or its occupants but I was itching to get out of here.

I reached for my hoodie but blinked when Mike was there beside me, handing it up as one would a peace offering (How could he move so fast?). I doubted that his expression was always so demure.

"You that ready to get out of here?"  
"Sorry," I laughed nervously. "That's not a problem, is it?"  
"We are just making sure you're alright," Donatello explained.  
"Are we ready?" interrupted Leonardo.

I donned my sweatshirt, zipping it up wordlessly.

Mikey made a bit of a face, "See ya, Al."  
_Al?_ Seriously, this guy could be taking lessons from my brother for all I knew. My eyebrow shot up and I allowed a smirk to grace my features.  
"That's Alice."

"Suuree," with that he collapsed on the couch where I had been moments before and dug into the bag of potato chips.

I had more to worry about than that. Unable to find anything to say I turned to the blue-masked turtle, whose expression I could not quite depict. It didn't help that his brown trench coat had large upturned collars that were disconcertingly familiar.

"This way," he tried to smile. I followed him, eager to be home.

Luckily, I did not live too far away. We would probably have to snag a bus on the way back, or perhaps a taxi would be better. I tried not to imagine squeezing in the backseat with the turtle guy. He really didn't seem to like me. Why was he so set on edge?

What jarred me out of my thoughts was when the scent hit me. I came to the comprehension that I hadn't been paying much attention as to where we were going until I caught that distinctive aroma. We came out into the tunnel.

"You live in the sewer!" I blurted it out. It wasn't a question but I _did _feel a bit embarrassed for it. My countenance didn't budge.

He glanced over me, pulling to an abrupt stop so that I had to be careful not to run into him. It was dark in here and I was uncomfortable. "What did you think?"

There was a pause as I watched him all-too-fluidly clamber up a steel ladder built into the cold wall and pop open the manhole. He seemed to be giving a quick look around. I was glad, trying not to think what someone might think seeing two figures such as ourselves popping up out of the sewer system.

"Well…actually…it's a good idea…"

"Coast is clear, let's hurry."  
"Right." I seized the latter rungs and pulled myself up after him. My movements were not flowing and smooth as were his and it took me a few seconds longer to emerge from the dank, dark hole. I welcomed fresh air into my lungs; the clatter coming from behind me told me he had replaced the manhole.

We hastened to the sidewalk. I noticed how deserted the area was.

"We actually aren't far from that Starbucks," he told me in that no-nonsense manner of his. I didn't like not being able to read his facial expression. "How far from there do you live?"

I scrutinized him best I could, his tone seemed friendly enough…but definitely reserved.

"Not far," I was already beginning to trot in the direction as soon as I recognized the street we were on. "You can leave me here. Honestly I think I can take care of myself."  
_Oh please…please…just leave me alone. I want to down a few sleeping pills and stay knocked out for another twenty-four hours.  
_I wondered if it was the bold manner in which I said it that made him snort.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. That was a pretty big bump on your head."

We were walking side by side now; I didn't want to stop moving just so we could converse on some silly little subject. However, this caused me to stop for a split second so I could run my hand up through my hair. Sure enough, after prodding around I felt a spasm of pain at the back of my skull.

"Ouch." Didn't know that was there.

"See?" he interjected.

I furrowed my brow and we walked on in a bit of moody silence for a few moments. Leonardo hadn't yet abandoned me so I assumed I was stuck with him. My gaze slipped off towards the sky, which was painted a deep sapphire blue yet with light cornering the edges of it. A shot of panic confronted me.

"Um, how long have I been out?"  
"Just over night," he replied, not glancing over. "It's about five o' clock in the morning right now."  
"Oh." Good. No one would've missed me.

Another pause.

"Look, are we going to take the taxi or something? It's still going to be quite a walk and…I have no ride." The last remark was a bit icier than I originally planned. My baby. My poor car.

This time I could feel his hesitancy.  
"I'm apologize about that. If I hadn't been in the wrong place at the wrong time…"

"What?" I didn't understand and had to remind myself to keep moving lest people stare at us more than desired.

His posture seemed to diminish somewhat, "I was the one who was thrown into your car."

I snorted, a little temperamental remembering my precious vehicle, "As if anyone can control where they're being _thrown_."

"So no hard feelings, then?"

I shot Leonardo a look. He needed to ask for forgiveness? It wasn't as if I blamed him or anything, my expression should've been sufficiently explanatory.

"Perhaps if you'd just let me take a taxi..." I offered hopefully with a bit of my characteristic grin flaring.  
I peered up cautiously through his disguise as he pulled to another abrupt stop. Oh, so he was allowed to make jests but I wasn't?

"Come here," he said quietly, slipping into the shadows of a nearby alley. It wasn't as if the area was heavily populated anyway. Yet, if he wanted to speak to me privately, by all means let it be inconspicuous. As inconspicuous as possible, that is.

I folded my arms, trying to look tougher than I felt.

"Listen…nothing strange has happened to you over the past few months or anything, right?"

I didn't have to pause long to consider the answer. "No. Nothing until _now_." I emphasized.

"Hey, I'm sorry that you were entangled in all of this. I just have to know. I have a feeling this situation has potential to go south quickly. And…I need to…protect my family."

I was a little stunned by his answer, and unsure how to reply. That wasn't a reply to be ashamed about. I regarded him, tilting my head in curiosity for just a moment. Was this what all the coldness about? Was I somehow a threat?  
There was a silence, I hastened to break it.

"Well…" I drew out a breath, holding myself as high as possible. Obviously that still didn't cut it. "…I have a few questions…none of which have been answered yet."

He folded his arms, leaning back. "I can't guarantee that I'll answer them all."

"Fine," I agreed quickly. "First question, turtle dude: How did I get knocked out last night?"

I watched his posture relax slightly at the question, which only provoked me to think what in the world he supposed I was going to ask him.

"First of all…" he paused, "Call me Leo, I have a name, you know. Secondly, you were knocked out by that…hideous white-headed creep. It's lucky he didn't hit you hard or you may have been seriously injured."

Curiosity was rearing.

"Hideous? Come now, I could tell there was a natural enmity between you guys but really…they were the furthest thing from ugly."

He took account of me, I felt self-conscious the way those eyes swept over me. I really was coming to the realization of how perceptive this Leonardo was.

"Did you see their faces? Hard and shiny, difficult to focus on? Eyes that bug out a little? Not human-like at all."

I was a little annoyed, "Apparently not."

"But_ why_?" His voice carried a note of agitated perplexity.

"Your guess is as good as mine." I made to wriggle out of the alley, feeling cornered. We could talk on the way back to my apartment.

My heart jolted with a sudden feeling as he barred my exit by one of those broad arms. I tried not to swallow.

"Hold on," Leo murmured quietly. His tone was always under control, with that clear edge of leadership to it. There was faintly something I actually liked about it, but at the current moment my agitation was getting the better of me.

"What?" I managed to keep the emotion out of my voice. I couldn't even distinguish what I was feeling.

He sighed. "You were right when you said there is something between us and those creatures. It does not bode well. Never before in meditation have I come across such an ill feeling..."

I didn't reply. So what this turtle meditated, too? I grumbled inwardly that this was likely seeing the kinda guy his Master was. I said nothing on the subject.  
_Still, why is he telling me this?_

"So in other words, this whole ordeal is really important…" my brain hurt, I tried to piece things together. His intent, that is. "…and you're not just going to…going to leave me alone, are you?"

My heart began to sink steadily as read the message those brown eyes conveyed to me.

"Why not?!" I stamped my foot. "It was just a coincidence. I DON'T want you to follow me home and hang over me like some kind of reptilian vulture! I want to go home without ever having to go through this again!"

_Where…oh where is your sense of adventure, Alice? Are you the person you've professed to be again and again? With your surging love of adventure…how could you turn against your so-called nature when such an opportunity crosses your path? _The flood of thoughts rushed in before I could stop them.

Leonardo opened his mouth to shoot something back at me, perhaps, but stopped as the play of emotion flitted across my face. Thoughts coursed through my brain, rendering me utterly indecisive…but I remained stubborn, even to my own thoughts. My own mind was issuing out a challenge to me. A war raged inside of me, either to answer to the challenge or remain stubborn.

I folded my arms and looked away.  
He hit me with a statement that caught me even further off guard.  
"If they come back…you might get hurt."

I stared at him.

"They weren't exactly kissing the ground at your feet," Leo wasn't too good at the sarcasm thing. I read it immediately, though.

"What do you care?" I threw at him.

"Our job is to protect the city. Even little mouth-offs like yourself," he replied indignantly.

"It takes two to argue, pal," I remarked.

I knew I was being selfish. He was trying to protect his own family and even a scrawny girl from the city. Did I even need to be protected?

"Are you sure they are dangerous? The blonde one did promise he would keep me safe…" My voice was weak. I started to defend my case even when it was beginning to seem pitiful to me.

Maybe he realized this and that was why the turtle-man was lumbering at-ease back out into the streets.

"Sure, after he dragged you roughly to a stop. Let's not forget the club on the head."

"Um, we don't need the sarcasm here," I notified him crisply, having to walk fast to keep up with him. I dearly wished to see what kind of shape that mouth was twisted into. A frown or entertained grin? It was far easier to imagine the frown. He was no Mikey. I looked straight ahead with a creased brow.

Leonardo didn't let too many seconds pass in that strained pause. His voice was for the first time, comforting when he spoke again.

"Let's just get you home. Can you concur to that?"

A pause.

"Yeah. Home." Was that relief, or wistful longing?

I pretended to myself that I did not see the flash of pity in his eyes.  
Why would I need to be pitied?


	7. No Conclusions

**Okay, okay, here it is, finally. And for all of your waiting I have practically nothing to show you. Let's just say that I'm a bit busy right now, and my sister hogs the computer.**

**Disclaimer: TMNT does not belong to me, and if they did I would be doing something waaay cooler than them rather than writing little fanfictions.**

* * *

The door closed with a soft but what seemed like a perpetually resounding thud.

Seconds ticked by in which I just stood there in a daze. The apartment was untouched: blankets strewn lazily over the edge of the couch from where Hunter had dropped them yesterday. A frantic buzzing indicated that a fly was trapped behind the blinds of a window, out of which light was beginning to stream quite profusely.

My car keys were already out of my pocket and in my hand by habit, as I always hung them up or threw them in my book bag when I entered the apartment. However at this moment I merely relinquished my grip on them and flinched when the little metal pieces clinked noisily against the tiled floor. That's all they were, right? Just scraps of metal.

I took a few steps forward, shedding my coat as I did so. It dropped soundlessly to the floor, I didn't seem to mind now that I was wrecking up my apartment. A blinking light flashed over by my answering machine. Lethargically I mashed a button in and strained my ears for hopefully, a familiar voice.

My heart sunk when it was a recording from my credit card company and I hadn't even used the Visa for anything. With a short, irritated groan I snatched up my cordless receiver and speedily phoned my boss.

"I'm calling in sick today."

He was lucky I was even calling.

"Alice? Are you alright?"  
"If I was, then I would be working." I said dryly. My attitude was certainly uncharacteristic but I didn't care. Make of it what they may.  
"McKellen…"  
"I know, sir. I know. You can chew me out tomorrow." I stared unhappily over at the blinds where the fly was beginning to agitate me. "Sorry," I added. "Bye."  
"Take care, Alice."  
I hung up.

Then I went to sleep.

It would suffice to say that I slept away the day, and most of the following night for that matter. I have always had a gift for sleeping. It is commonly said in my family that you could give me a plywood board and I could use it as a pillow and fall asleep. While this may be quite untrue, the fact remains that I can fall asleep easily. I can then continue to stay asleep for long quantities of time.

Boy, do I ever dream. Trust me, dear reader, my dreams were not by any standards, normal. Well, by most peoples' standards, I assume.

Hunter called at least twice but I knew that if I answered, he would detect something in my voice and most certainly come over. I didn't want to be discovered yet. I wanted to piece this together myself. I would go to work again tomorrow and everything would be back to normal.

Or would it be? Raging curiosity would rear its head as soon as shock wore off. I could not help it, for I was a practical person, and as soon as I was truly conscious, I was thinking.

I pulled a brush through my dark curls, putting in extra product today to make them appealingly shiny and soft. Mr. Barb liked it when his waitresses came in looking especially pretty, he said it gave us a good image to have hard-working young ladies. I considered the hard-working part as I threw on my jacket.

Of course I had been thinking about the ninja turtles. I had spent just a few hours with them (minutes, if you are counting the conscious part) and I wanted to go back.

Well, not completely. Most of me would be very happy just to stay away from danger and was struggling as is on how to explain my crushed vehicle to the insurance agency (that had been something that had taken quite a few days at least). Then there was the part that I had always known somewhere inside of me, that would come up sooner or later and be like 'DUDE! Who really experiences these things? Seriously, no one does. That was sooo cool. Like crime fighting superheroes…only they're green.'

Also, a little rude, I thought of Leonardo.

The week went on. I found myself more paranoid than usual, checking ridiculously over my shoulder every once in a while. My co-workers worried about me and people shot me questions left and right as to why my car had been identified at the Starbucks incident. I was unhappy that that bit of information leaked out.

But none of the press or police had hunted me down; no authorities phoned me or tracked me down for investigation. It was a miraculous thing…if you really think about it. My car was the only one damaged so in all of this, near the area where two lives had been taken, and I had been there…but I managed to so lithely slip through the cracks.

You must understand that this sort of thing never happens to me. So I continued to be suspicious, wondering if I was being watched, locking my door and barring all my windows. I wouldn't go as far as to say 'paranoid' but it definitely wasn't_ normal_ normal.

By the time Wednesday came around, I looked myself full on in the mirror and saw those circles under my eyes. For the last few days I had not slept well due to all the restless contemplation I was doing.

I realized how silly I was being and that really…was there anything that much to worry about? Nothing weird had happened to me since and maybe I could start to relax. Besides, I was dragging myself in the dust. I was tiring myself out with worrying and wondering. And I was really beginning to worry those I cared about. That was being selfish of me. So it was time to be happy again. Or at least just focus on life one minute, hour, and day at a time and look on the bright side of things.

So that's just what I did.

* * *

Hours of the week passed by when the brothers did not see hide nor shell of Leonardo. He spent a large amount of time meditating by himself…and they did not blame him.

It was quiet down in the sewers.

The first to expire to the sudden, unexpected atmosphere change was Raphael. He lifted weights and listened to screaming metal behind his headphones, he did not touch his makeshift drum set.

Donatello was next. Burying himself in his books and inventions, he could be seen muttering, inaudible, the equation of some long math problem or the solution to why his invention was malfunctioning.

Mikey felt it as well. He played videogames for hours on end and got on his siblings nerves for not picking up after himself. Crumpled up potato chip bags or empty cardboard pizza boxes collecting dirt became a common sight.

The brothers could not explain why this sudden presence plagued them. Sometimes things would be alright and there would be absolutely nothing to complain about. There would be high spirits all around and on Thursday night Mikey ordered pizza and Raphael and Leo argued whether or not Coke was better than Pepsi.

Then the night would pass by and at least one of them would have the same recurring nightmare. It was always apparent the next day which one suffered it. Even Master Splinter. The matter was ever present, although it weighed more heavily on some rather than others.

That force, those beings, they were not welcome.

"_What did you discover of the girl?"  
_"_Master, she seems actually quite innocent," he admitted stoically. Personally he had been hoping that it would've been different so they could've perhaps resolved this problem quicker._

_It was like he was spinning his wheels in the sand, they weren't getting anywhere._

"_What do you think you should do, Leonardo?" Master Splinter watched him with those wise eyes.  
_"_I will continue to keep an eye on the situation. She is the only lead we have so far."  
_"_See to it that it is as secret as possible. No one must find out."_

"_Of course."_

When Leo was alone, he couldn't help but dwell in mystification. His thoughts were mostly on these creatures and the dark presence that they emanated. Every inch of him had loathed them without seemingly audible cause. It just felt like the most natural reaction. Like pure instinct. He couldn't help but distrust them in every way. And hadn't they been right? They could be a huge threat—whatever they were.

But she was different. Something about her aura…was not threatening. It was a kind he had never seen before, deep and yet, soft. Sometimes in mediation he would be struck suddenly by that mysterious earthy tone. So thought provoking, very curious, yet elusive...


	8. Unexpected Visitor

I returned from work that evening to a clean apartment. It was something that really helped calm my nerves. My pocket was a bit lighter as a result of taking taxis and occasionally a bus or two, but it really wasn't that bad. In New York you didn't _need_ a car to get around. I just missed mine terribly.

I felt a little disappointed for some reason when my answering machine came up empty. I wondered if I was experiencing a strange sense of loneliness. That never really happened to me so the thought never crossed my mind for more than a few seconds. I was an independent soul.

I tried to keep up my resolution to be happy, but sometimes it was just too much work.

It had been a week since the incident occurred and just as I thought, life was beginning to calm down. Yet…yet…I found myself struggling with a little depression. Maybe because I felt like talking about what I experienced but I knew no one would believe me.

And it just seemed like the right thing to do…keep it quiet.

I scoured the apartment for any source of filth that I might purge, and finding hardly anything, went to bed a little unhappy.  
Yanking the sheets up to my chin, I reached for the lamp to switch it off. When the light ceased, that's when I saw it.

The silhouette was clearly inhuman, cast up against the dull yellow light from the outside world. My heart skipped two beats and my fingers slipped on the switch, body going rigid.

_It's just a shadow,_ I thought to myself determinedly; _my mind's playing tricks on me._ My conclusion was proved wrong when that shadow bent down and I realized with a cold chill, that it was trying to open my window.

This particular window faced south, crammed against the roof of another building. As if I had received an electric shock, I reeled backwards, scattering my pillows and blankets.

The form tapped against the glass, and the muffled voice I heard sent a thrill through me. But not a bad one, I discovered.

"Alice?" the voice was recognizable. "Are ya there?"

I picked myself up off the floor, cautiously cracking the blinds to glance through. I flinched when Mikey's face was but three inches away (though separated by the cold glass), trying to peer in.

"Michelangelo…" I said slowly. I reached down to unlock the window and as soon as I did so, he slid it open effortlessly.  
A gust of chilled air buffeted the bangs out of my face. I took a few steps back. I could trace scents that were no doubt from the sewer; but not unbearable.

"Hiya Alice!"

Feeling a little winded I sat down, glad I was wearing my oversized T-shirt and warm sweats tonight. I hurriedly flicked on my lamp again.

"Has something happened?" I could not keep the urgency out of my voice, drinking in his demeanor.

"Naw," he breezed lightly through my room, casting his glance casually around. Finally he all but eased himself on my bed sitting next to me.

I arched an eyebrow while my bedsprings complained.

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" I said, thrown off and automatically moving a little away from him. He laid back on my bed, feet dangling off the side. "Isn't there something wrong? Something else I might have to do with?" I pressed.

"Nope. The guys don't even know I came to visit."

"Visit?" I pulled my legs up on the bed and crossed them Indian-style.

"Yep, man, life is so dull down there. I just had to see a friendly face. April and Casey are busy so I can't hang with them. Plus Raph is still mad at me 'cuz of the dumbbell thing… " he explained to me, probably aware how very little made sense to me.

"Well," I allowed a little smile to grace my features, "Do you want to talk about anything? I am one of the top students in my psychology class." I said with faked haughtiness.

He grinned, dramatically draping the back of his three-fingered hand over his forehead in mock despair. "Oh doctor! I don't know what to do….everywhere I go….I see…characters from the Wizard of Oz. They're out to get me! I just know that Lion dude is heading up some conspiracy."

"How does that make you_ feel_?" I played along, emphasizing clearly and pretending to adjust imaginary glasses.

He thought about it, swinging his legs and causing them to thump against the bed.  
Suddenly a low sound emanated from his stomach, he winced and patted it. "Hungry."

I laughed, getting to my feet. Why was it that I felt lighter?

"This way, Patient. I think I may know just the right prescription."

"Dude!" He fluidly got to his feet and followed.

Two minutes later we were messing with my smoothie machine. I chopped a few strawberries and popped them in, followed by some bananas.

"Fruit?" Mikey bent down to stare at the growing concoction in the blender. "I was thinking more along the lines of junk food."

At the same time I pulled a container of ice cream out of the freezer, shaking it temptingly. "Trust me, this will taste good."

"If you say so, Al."

_That _was going to get old. No doubt about it.

I felt comfortable with Mikey. He was another younger brother, and I liked the one I already had.

"So, what's up at the Turtle-Cave?" I spooned in a few healthy measures of the frozen vanilla treat.  
"Ha ha," he seized a spoon and plunked in extra. "You don't really want to know. It's not all that great."

He heaved himself on the counter where I always sat, and licked the spoon. In the light I could more easily make out the defined muscles in his forearms and biceps. I tried not to stare, though he was quite the phenomenon.

"So you just randomly decided to come see me late at night?" I was a little suspicious, even if pleased. I continued to throw in extras here and there, a trained hand at delicious smoothies.

"Anything wrong wit 'at?" he said around the spoon in his mouth.

"No, I'm just curious."

"Weelll," he drawled, finally removing the utensil from his lips. "Actually things have been kinda tense over there. Bros were arguing a bit and…the atmosphere's just all, strange 'n stuff. Things haven't been the same."

There was a bit of a pause. "Oh."

I turned back to the blender, turning it on to drown out the silence.

When it finally stopped and a creamy pink beverage was the result, neither of us had yet spoken. I could practically taste the sweet, fruity cream now but my mind was far from midnight snacks.

"Can I burn you a few CDs?" I asked, out of the blue, resting my palm on the lid of the container.

"Huh?" He looked up, obviously broken off from a small train of thought. "Sa-weet. You've got some pretty sick stuff, I imagine?" Mikey's voice was perky and upbeat again.

"Definitely sick." I assured him.

I poured out our glasses and the turtle told me that it was really quite amazing and that whenever he needed a smoothie fix he'd come see me. I joked that I might start charging if it was really that good.

We didn't spend much longer in the kitchen before I led him over to my computer so we could sort through my music library.

Words flowed easily and conversation was natural as we discussed music terms. Though, we didn't have _exactly _the same tastes. I preferred a lot of metal and he liked hip-hop.

After a little silence after which Mikey noisily sucked up the remnants of the smoothie through a straw, I glanced over when I noticed he was looking at me.

"What?"

"Now it's my turn to be curious…" he stated, setting the glass down on the desk. "…why all the friendliness? I didn't think you would even let me in, let alone offer me all of this."

I didn't have to think about it long, shrugging lightly. "Isn't it enough that you guys helped me out of a sticky situation? Besides…maybe you're not the only one a little starved for company."

He paused, "That's cool to know. Seriously, you'll have to come back to the sewers some time."

His statement caught me off guard; I accidentally choked on a chunk of strawberry.

"Whoa-ness! You don't _have _to." Mikey slapped me heartily on the back, and it only took once to help me get the obstruction down. I blinked, my eyes tearing up at the moment of clumsiness.

I laughed, a bit breathless. "No, I just wasn't expecting such an invitation." I shifted, uncomfortable, "I was under the impression that I wasn't really welcomed."

He glanced over the CD-Rs now in his possession, thinking. "Well…I'd take the heat for you. And it wouldn't be that bad. Y'know that we're watching you, right?"

I had seriously thought this over again and again and even though subconsciously I had known it, hearing it was still a bit of a shock.

"Still?" My mouth was a little dry. "You guys haven't gotten tired of me, yet?"

"Leo's all paranoid…and Al, if ya knew how things were…well you'd understand."

I let another pause sink through. I considered it. I knew the concept of going back in hopes of quenching some of my surging curiosity was an offer all-too-temping. It was just the matter of making the right choice.

Would it be the right thing to do, going down to hang out with Mikey? If I was going just to goggle, then that certainly wasn't reason enough. I couldn't help myself now, I was involved.

"Hmm…"

"We can play videogames and eat pizza, and read comic books!" He sounded excited. Again I wondered why in the world he would be excited spending time with me. It was clearly nothing more than a friendly interest and I was happy that someone seemed to want to hang out.

"Oh, alright," I succumbed, wondering if I was indeed making the wise choice. "But I don't know where to go."

"That's fine, dudet," he rose to his feet. "I'll come back tomorrow or Sunday or somethin'. First I'll have to listen to these CDs and see if they are…worthy."

I narrowed my eyes and pretended to act offended, "Worthy? After listening to those you will never be able to go back to the norm. Crazy-sick-groovy, dude." I gave him the thumbs up.

Michelangelo just stared at me for a moment and then let out a shout of laughter. I dearly hoped my neighbors were all deeply asleep. He wiped the corner of his eye, still laughing. "Groovy? You're terrible. Friggenhilarious, tho."

I shrugged sheepishly with a grin, "Ah well, best leave Mikey talk to Mikey."

"See ya later, sis." He shuffled towards my bedroom door. It was a little weird hearing and seeing at the same time.

"Um, bye Mike."

I pondered for a second or two before getting to my feet and crossing the room. When I swung open the door to my bedroom all was quiet and empty. He had shut the window behind him. Besides the disheveled bedspread, the room looked exactly like it had a forty-five minutes ago.


	9. The Beginning of Bonds

**Hi everyone! I'm sorry I haven't had anything out in ages. Life has been incredibly busy, I've barely any time to plot and write for this story. Don't cha just love this time of year:)**

**Well, this isn't an action packed chapter, it's something nice and simple. Maybe you'd think it's weird and random being how Alice doesn't much know the turtles. Just know that strange circumstances make wild things happen.**

**And again, I do not own the turtles and will never do so. Not even for a spiffeh Christmas present. sigh ;)**

* * *

The temperature dropped some more, becoming quite icy. Wind lashed throughout the city with unusual chill. The citizens were preparing themselves to see snowflakes descending upon environment, even. It wasn't late fall yet, but seeing the temperature, it definitely wouldn't be surprising.

It was late Saturday afternoon, I had a day off from work and my homework was almost all finished. Mikey had stopped by, just like he promised… almost a little too eager for my liking.  
I had wrestled with the idea of going back with him almost to the point of insanity. Was this a dumb choice? Would it get really awkward? I still couldn't believe what I was about to do.

And the fact that I was going to see a bunch of mutant ninja turtles AGAIN ( and I was worried about it turning awkward).

"C'mon Alice, no biggie."

"Easy for you to say," I muttered under my breath, deciding not to wear gloves. I did not need them. "How cold is it down there, by the way?"

"We've lived down there through some cold winters, and trust moi…it's comfortable. You're stressin' out too much."

And he was right.

To my intense relief and predominantly, astonishment…they were not at all as aloof as I'd expected.

The trip to the sewers had been uneventful. Once we were below (and through the labyrinth of the sewer system), Mikey gave me a tour. We only bumped into two of his brothers along the way.

Donatello looked a little surprised at first but his face warmed and he smiled. I found it was a nice smile; trustworthy and warm. I found I also liked him. Not unlike Mikey, he just seemed to have a comfortable, safe…aura, of sorts.

Of course, he was not to be bothered for long…and went right back to his book.

Raphael, however, was not so warm. But not cold. He merely grunted, I caught the brow that shot up upon seeing me again.

"Got a new little pal, eh Mikey?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I shot at him before Mikey could reply.

He chuckled.

Mikey grew smug and let a little silence pass, "Raph, at least I _have_ pals, man."

I wondered if it was normal for them to throw objects at each other. It didn't matter, I guess, Mikey dodged the projectile, which happened to be a soup can (appropriate for the room we were currently occupying).  
"Who do you think Casey is?" Raphael retaliated, but Mikey couldn't be swayed out of his jesting,

First I wondered if this meant Raph was not happy with me here, but I was overreacting. He seemed to cast a few glances at me now and then, as if truly puzzled. I knew what was going through his mind. It was the same thing rocketing through my own consciousness.  
Was I mad?

"Right, so what do you think of our digs?"  
I declined the Coke offered to me.  
"I think…" I already knew my answer but I glanced around and drew out my answer nonetheless.

From the moment I entered and descended the steps into the main room, I was stunned. It was nothing like my first encounter. This time there seemed to be something about the setting that gleamed, and pronounced the pure essence of 'home'. The lighting was dim and yet wholly sufficient, the entire underground area well built and concealed. Looked like something men had constructed a while ago and just abandoned.  
I was glad to see it went to good use.

"I love it." And I did.

Time passed quickly. Mikey showed me all of his favorite hobbies. Most of which were a bunch of comic books he proudly displayed but had a 'no touchy' law (I laughed) and two player videogames whose genre consisted mostly of racing at the time.

I also noticed that occasionally one of the brothers peeked in casually to see what we were up to. What the lunatic girl was doing with her new turtle friend...

Then, while I was losing pitifully in a particular race, I realized something. Every time I thought critically of myself for hanging out with them, I was debasing them. How were they much different from human beings that I had to look down on myself for hanging out with them?

My deep pondering caused my competence level on videogames to down even further. Mike started shooting me looks, but my mind was off in another realm.  
Were they some kind of monster/creature that I had no business being in league with? No. They were just as much people as I was. I knew that easily without having to be told. Immediately, I felt guilty.

"Al, is something wrong?"

I glanced at his face. Respect and affection came into my heart for the younger brother figure.

"Sorry…I guess I was just getting lost in thought."

"That happens a lot, don't it?" He smirked.

"Does it...really?"

"Well guess what? No more thinking, dudet! Videogames are brain cell-killing, mind numbing distractions from the real world. Another race…like you mean it!" he added with gusto. "...unless you're…CHICKEN…" he made a few crude chicken animal clucks.

I snorted, "We'll see who's cracking the poultry jokes after _I _win."

When I actually tried, I discovered that I had a knack for this. I caught on quickly. At first he began to brag about how his skills had trained me well. When I started threatening his squeaky clean status as the champion, he got less confident.

"All this almost-loosing is making me hungry…"

"I'm not your maid, dude." I informed him. I grinned at the look I knew he was giving me, though I kept my gaze fixated on the screen.

"Purleez," he whispered softly.  
A pause. I felt myself being stared at very hard with a gaze that obviously was supposed to be an attempt on the 'puppy-dog pout.'

"However…" I continued, deciding to humor my reptilian friend. "I am feeling slightly charitable tonight and may be willing to lend a hand."

He paused the game, "Who said anythin' about helping ya? I got the ingredients, there's a mixer out there-"  
"Smoothies?" I cut in.  
"Smoothies." He nodded.

The mixer was an old one without a lid. It took me the good part of ten minutes to scrub out the inside so that it looked clean enough to use. It had no lid and alongside the rim ran a deep crack. I frowned a bit, asking him where he got it.

"Nevermind that. It works!" he promised me.

"Oh really? I totally was under the idea you were making me work with a _broken _blender." I said with dripping sarcasm, my face skeptical. I was willing to give it a go, though. "Actually, I'm not sure _what _I expected…"

This time he had a multitude of candy and chocolate wanting to be thrown in. Other than the strawberries, there were no healthy fruits. We threw together a collage of Hershey's chocolate bars and sliced strawberries, and some ice cream as well.

It was noisy. That was just putting it mildly. The sound so alarmed me that I immediately jerked back and vanilla ice cream went spraying wildly out of the top. I gasped, reaching my hands up blindly to protect myself from the frozen soup.

Mikey reached forward to pull the plug. He was choking with laughter, I was not so cheery.

It wasn't long until, as I suspected, the sounds drew the other characters in. Donny was the first to appear, curiosity and alarm written on his features. He stayed in the kitchen-area, surprisingly, as if by not doing so he'd miss out on something. Probably only a great show.

Next came Raphael. He wore a pair of headphones around his neck, I could hear the sounds of banging, clashing symbols and screaming electric guitars rising from them. I supposed he had been listening to until he finally picked us out. Holy crap, we _must _be loud. And yet, he stayed, too.

By the end of the adventure, I was more or less covered in smoothie. Mikey told me I smelled very nice, at least. I sarcastically told him this was a great reassurance, though with a hearty smile on my face. Raphael laughed and Don leaned forward to sniff the brew.

"This is interesting…" he straightened up. I took the damp dishtowel offered to me and began cleaning myself up as much as possible.

"Ain't 'nuff in there for you, Mikey. Looks like we're just gonna have to tell you how good it tastes," Raphael said, either very good at faking solemnity or really serious about it.

"Over my dead body, dude. Whose _pal _is Alice's anyway?"

"Alright! Alright!" Geez didn't people ever grow out of sibling rivalry? I threw myself between them, trying not to think of Hunter. "There is plenty for everyone…and even if we run a little low, we have plenty of ingredients for making more."  
The glasses produced were filled to the top and all occupants of the room partook. I waited expectantly for the results, not having any myself so Raph could have all he wanted.

"Well?"

"This makes up for being bad at videogames, I tell you!" Mikey exclaimed. I rolled my eyes but smiled.

"Delicious," agreed Donny.

Raphael grunted, but I didn't really expect much more of an answer.

"Can I take that as a compliment?" I offered to refill his glass. He shrugged, accepting.

Mikey leaned forward, smacking his lips and bringing his cup (glass cup, let me add) down on the table with a jittering thump. "NOW…" he drawled out, in his other hand wagging a bag of chips in a dangerous, suspicious manner. "Now we experiment with no healthy stuff. I've got plenty of other—"

"What's going on here?"

The new voice caused us all a start. Especially my own self, while I reached over to wrestle the bag of potato chips from Mike's grip with a defiant expression. I slipped back empty-handed, my eyes sliding over Leonardo.

His expression was almost priceless. If ever I had wished that I had a camera in hand, it was now. Hs brow was practically airborne, it was raised so high. And I couldn't blame him, all of his siblings, even the grumpy, moody one, with this girl drinking smoothies. Not exactly your everyday-average sight.

"Um…um—"

"Forgot what you were going to say?" Donny inquired unhelpfully.

Leo shook his head; the movement seemed like an attempt to clear his mind rather than an answer to Don.

"April called. She wants us to visit," he said after a short pause.

There were several different reactions around the table. I watched every one of them: Donatello downed the rest of his smoothie in a single gulp and got to his feet, Mike looked excited ("So we're finally allowed to go over there?"), Raphael grunted unhappily and set his glass hard down on the table.

"Are you kiddin'? We're gonna have to listen to all that weddin' stuff. I hate weddin' planning," he muttered.

"What?" I scratched my head, unable to withhold my curiosity.

"Some friends of ours are getting married. They've been really busy so we haven't got to see them much. You can come, if you like. We've told April about you and she said she'd like to meet you." Donny filled me in, I think it was the most he'd ever said to me in one go. Meanwhile, Mikey gathered the 'ingredients' in one sort of messy, eyesore pile in I guess, was a sort of attempt to clean up before they left. He got to his feet.

"I'm not sure," Leo spoke tentatively.

"Why not, Leonardo?" I blinked when Master Splinter appeared out of nowhere. Seriously…where did that rat guy come from? I almost admired how smooth he was, though he did not seem it. "It appears that she gets along fine with the rest of your brothers."

Raphael let go of his cup quickly.

_Yeah, why not, Leonardo?_ I thought, watching him out of the corner of my eye. What was with that guy? How could I possibly be a threat to their family?  
Well it didn't matter much, I knew that going to their friends' house would certainly be out of my comfort zone…but maybe…I was willing to give it a try. First things first though…

"Well, um…these two friends of yours…"

"April and Casey," Donny filled in.

"Okay. Well, I mean…are they…like..." I was stuttering, going nowhere like a car spinning its wheels, "um…what _are _they?"

Unexpected laughter reached my ears. I didn't see what was funny, but perhaps my expression was the entertaining one, now. Leo only rolled his eyes a bit, Master Splinter just smiled. Mikey was having a good laugh, as was Raphael. Donny chuckled.

"They're humans, dipstick." Raphael stood up.

"Weell!" I folded my arms, not believing that I could be laughed at for a question that really did make sense if you thought about it. And I had been doing alot of thinking lately.

"Haha can you imagine April as a turtle?!" Mikey chortled loudly, unwrapping a chocolate bar and apparently preparing to consume it.

Blue-Masked Turtle Guy was getting impatient,"Let's just go. Mikey, holding you responsible if anything happens because of the girl."

I narrowed my eyes at Leo. "I'll try not to slow you down," I said, my attempt and hiding the sarcasm just about fruitless. I was severely tempted to comment on the 'girl' thing but I kept my mouth closed.

* * *

Darkness had fallen around the outside world. It was a world with intensified mystery, and the cold of the night draped heavily around us. I really didn't want to be picked up again, so I only accepted help when needed…like getting up on the roof, for instance.

That could've turned out as a sticky situation, but Mikey was so fluid and gentle, grabbing my wrists and helping me up…that it soon passed out of my mind.

I was so much louder than they were. Twice I got looked at because I knocked a old hubcap or various piece of junk over. I tripped once on the roof, and it was a miracle that it hadn't been more. Don steadied me (grabbing the back of my jacket) before I took a fall off. Raphael was muttering under his breath something about 'clumsy humans.' I found that I was rather more entertained by this than offended.

There was one thing I did really enjoy.

The view was nicer than I had thought, even though we were not that high up. The sparkling lights of the city enriched my vision. Even the sounds of the bustling city seemed a little further away than normal. The cold, bitter wind was present and though it was chilly, there was something so energizing about it. Something I just couldn't ignore. Wasn't it too easy to ignore the little, important details in life?

"We're almost there," Mikey whispered to me.  
"'Kay," I smiled a little.

It was at that moment we heard a gunshot, driving all other thoughts out of my mind.

* * *

**'Ooh what's this,' you may be saying. That, and this writer really likes guns for some reason xD  
I have a feeling Alice is going to see the Turtles in action soon again.**

**Well I hope to really liven up the story in the next few chapters, but only time and plenty of writing will tell. I regret to say I probably won't get the next chapter done before Christmas, or New Year, even. We'll just have to see how fast things happen.**

**So...Merry Christmas everyone!**


	10. An Unforgettable Warning and Also Dinner

**Hi guys! Think I took a long enough break? For taking over a month to post my next chapter, I made up for it a little by making it a nice, long chapter. It might be a tiny bit sloppy because I've been trying to rush through and finally publish something. Hopefully it won't be all that boring. Stay tuned, because a very interesting chapter is following up this one. Especially to any of you who are curious about our beautiful foes...**

**Also I'm bringing April and Casey into this chapter. I really don't know much about them, so I'm just going to use the information I know now and hope that I make their characters sound accurate.**

**Thanks to all my reviewers and readers, and to anyone who has read to this point without getting bored.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.**

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Everything happened quickly.

The Turtles reacted to the situation extremely fast. Every single one of them, even easygoing Mikey, bristled and stiffened. I froze too.

I watched with awe as a completely different aura surrounded them, their movements were now completely silent and agile. Leo was the first to bolt over to another roof, dropping down into a fire escape ladder down in the alley where the gunshot came from. Raphael was right after him, ditto with Don. Mikey paused by me for half a second to mutter in my ear.

"Stay here on the roof, Al."

Then he was gone with the others, shooting down noiselessly into the alley. I returned my attention to the situation, and now that I paid attention, I could hear scuffling and muffled laughter somewhere below.

Seconds of stillness passed.

Though I was originally frozen to the spot, my joints apparently were coming into working order. I ventured near the cliff of the roof, my fingers numb and my breath pouring out sharply.

There was nothing in the alley. I didn't know what to look for. I crouched down so I could squint into the darkness. I knew I would be reprimanded for it, but I was far too curious. No turtles, no gunman. I suddenly felt alone.

Then I heard another shot, followed by a horrendous scream. My stomach twisted and bile rose as I recognized it as a man's hoarse cry. This was followed by a horrendous crash, the unmistakable sound of glass shattering.

The sounds were coming from below me, in the building. I whipped my head back over the edge of the roof, fighting the bout of dizziness the heights gave me. There…there was a window in which they must've entered. I listened hard.

You know that tickling sensation you get sometimes? Like someone is watching you, or you are coming to a very dreadful conclusion. It's a subtle feeling at first, but too prominent to ignore.

"Alice McKellen. Stop what you're doing. It is foolishness."

The voice was unbelievably beautiful, though as I turned to view the speaker. He stood several yards from me, on the other side of the roof. He stood so shrouded in darkness; masking his appearance in black, baggy clothing…I didn't know what to make of it.

"Who are you?" I found my voice, it was not frightened. Then a sudden gust of wind caught me, blowing back the hood of my jacket and sending what felt like tiny ice crystals at my face. I was forced to close my eyes, raising my arm to shield my face. I felt so hot that the cool air was refreshing.

When I straightened up, he was gone and I was at a loss at what just happened.  
Next thing I knew, Mikey was tapping me on the shoulder and my teeth were chattering ferociously.

"Something's wrong…" I was surprised to see Leonardo standing over me suddenly. I felt a sudden desire to recoil and run away from them. All of them.

"Alice McKellen, are you alright? Speak to us." Don's voice was urgent in my ear. I forced myself to acknowledge them and unfreeze myself. Their puzzled and worried features knocked some sense into my numb being. I gritted my teeth, trying to quell the incessant shivering of my jaw. I wasn't even cold, why was I shivering?

"I should be asking you the same thing," my voice was unsure and the words barely slipped out. "What just happened down there?"

"We need to get inside," Leo decided abruptly, barely waiting for me to finish. For the remainder of the journey I was pulled along, having almost no coordination left to speak of.

"Okay, Al, hold on tight. We're gonna drop down into April's window here." It was Mikey who was speaking to me, I think. I just obeyed, curling my fingers around his shell as he temporarily lifted me off of the ground. My vision swam with dizziness, I closed my eyes.

When I was released we were inside somewhere. The cold sting of the New York weather no longer tingled my cheeks. A snap from the window behind us told me someone had shut it. I blinked stars out of my sight, my eyes strangely having to refocus and adjust to the light. We were out of the strange weather and inside shelter. I felt my chest loosen and air flowed in easier.

The apartment was lovely, kept clean and organized. I let my gaze meander through the room. I flexed my fingers, returning my eyes back over the stiffened turtles. Leonardo looked like he had been sucking on a lemon.

"What did you see?" he demanded softly but rapidly, before Mikey could form the words: 'Alice, are you alright?'  
All brothers paused and straightened up, solemn and quiet.

I found my eyes clicking into contact with his and I was completely undaunted. I took a little pause, thinking. I was about to tell them all the truth, but my throat stuck when I remembered the stranger. His words, though they were but a few, were still shaking my core. His presence left a familiar taste on my tongue; a sensation that was not welcomed. I did not feel like sharing this with my friends.

"Nothing. I was just…worried about what was going on with you guys." I lied-well it was only a part-lie. I really did want to know what had occured. "What happened?"

"Theives…" Don enunciated slowly, but only because his face looked consumed with thought as he spoke. "…there were several bags of money taken from who knows where. They had established a hideout and got carried away in a disagreement, I think. Still, the circumstances were strange."

I titled my head with curiosity, eyes asking him to go on.

"These men did not bear resemblance to any crook I've ever seen." Leo said, exchanging glances with his brothers. "One was dressed in formal slacks and a tattered business suit and the other was in floral tourist-like garb."

"And that first gunshot we heard never met its target, though they were within point blank range." Don added. "Still, this could've been because there was a tussle."  
Raphael still had his weapons out, surveying them before stowing them away again. "They were fightin' like dogs when we got to 'em, both trying to get to the gun."

"I see. Two of them. Still, what's so weird about it? When they were robbing the place …it makes perfect sense for them to not be dressed suspiciously," I probed. Anything was better than veering towards what happened to me. What a crazy coincidence that both these crazy things had happened.

Leo's gaze was stern as he looked down at me, "Alice, we've seen plenty of thieves in our time. Trust me when I say that these guys did not meet the usual profiles. That…and they were completely mad. They didn't look surprised when they…saw us. In fact, it was almost as if they expected us. The glass shattering was a crowbar that was supposed to hit Mikey."

My hand had slipped up over my mouth of its own accord.

"What about the scream?" I said quietly.

"One of them landed on the gun in a crazed attempt to retrieve it. He fumbled for it, and accidently shot his partner, not a fatal wound-look this doesn't have anything to do with the initial point…" Leo waved that away. "That little scuffle….everything pointed towards a …it seems like, like a diversion to us. That's why we rushed back to you."

He looked at me hard, and the others were doing just the same. He might've been preparing to say something else, but thankfully at that moment, we were interrupted.

"Hey you guys!"

The young woman who walked in was very pretty, in my own opinion. She was young, not too much older than myself I'd say, with bright, intelligent eyes and a clear expression. Her thick red hair was tied back into a ponytail.  
"And guest!" she added, her gaze falling on me.

I smiled; a knee-jerk response to a kind greeting. The young woman I presumed was April seemed very normal and pretty. There was a slight pause.

"Finally inviting us back into your house, Carrot-top?" Raphael dropped into one of the sofas behind us.

"Nice to see you, too, Raph. It's just, that I've been so busy…" she was walking directly over towards me.

Then tension slid off like a landslide. All the turtles seemed to dismiss it and join in on laughter and greetings. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Leo's fist clench, he did not move away from me as did the others.

"Hiya April! Did you order anything for us to eat?" Mikey exclaimed, bouncing by her in what looked the kitchen part of her apartment.

"You could say that," she said in answer to him. She turned to me, having finally crossed the room without interruption.

"Alice, am I correct?" She held out a hand, I shook it. She was also quite a bit more slender and taller than I was, I couldn't help but think enviously.

"Yes ma'am," I felt it easy to be warm to her, though still feeling a bit awkward. "You're April…"

"April O'Neil."

Mikey had circled back into the room, swinging around what looked like a…fake rubber snake. I stared.  
"So we've got an Ape and an Al…awesome!" he said teasingly, dangling the toy in front of April the way a sibling would to annoy his older sister.

"Ugh, Mikey take that thing home please. And I'm sure Alice doesn't like you calling her Al…I certainly don't like—"  
"Ape…yeah. I like your full name much better," I commented, then feeling awkward, I reached to add more. "It reminds me of spring. I love that time of year—" I cut off suddenly when I realized what I was saying. "Sorry," I added quickly, feeling like a dork. There I was thinking aloud again.  
She paused to watch me for a second...and wasn't the only one to do so. A smile slipped onto April's features.  
"Thank you. I like your name, as well. Never met any Alices before."

She and I were getting into some more small talk about times of the year and lapsing into birthdays so I wasn't surprised when we were interrupted.

"I'm sorry to break into this, but…" Leonardo trailed off. I would've eagerly spun on him and whipped out the accusing index finger, but he was much more polite this time. Genuinely eager to sort this out.

April's gaze slid over towards his and back over to me, nodding immediately. "Do you mind-?"

"Nope."

Everyone took their seats around the living room. A very clean living room, despite a few magazines on the coffee table that were ajar and the one of the curtains from where we had entered through the window had been knocked down. I wondered if April ever had to deal with damage dealt to her home by these guys.

I soon discovered that somehow Master Splinter had showed up too, for he was soon in the room, formally addressing April with a smile. That guy certainly could get around when he wanted. Were it not for the fact my thoughts were so scattered and distracted, I would've surveyed as to why Master Splinter didn't just go with us in the first place.

Part of me still felt numb as I sat down in the chair offered to me. I realized I was in shock, still. As soon as people stopped conversing with me and my attention wasn't focused on appearing normal, it skidded back in the direction of the occurrence on the roof. My mouth instantly went dry.

And I found I _did_ mind talking about this subject. What was I to do? Tell them? Yes…that had to be the right thing. Why would I even doubt that? I still knotted my fingers together on my lap as they got over dispersing pleasantries.

There was a slight pause. I noticed how everyone glanced at Leo to start

"Okay, it's kind of hard finding out where to start. By the time we get to the good part-" Leo was interrupted, then.

"Food's here!" A masculine voice resounded from the hallway while accompanied by heavy boots stumping across a door mat. I also detected the rustle of plastic bags.

Several things happened. Mikey and April sat up a bit straighter. April, I reasoned, because this was, in all likeliness, her betrothed. Mikey, oh come on you have to guess this one.

"Hey! It's 'bout time, Case." Raphael was on his feet as the man entered the room.

I glanced at Leonardo from the corner of my eye and I did catch the slight droop of his shoulders. Though more out of frustration than disappointment. Master Splinter must've noticed too, he set a hand on Leo's shoulder.

"My son, let us wait until after dinner. As you can see, most of us are rather preoccupied." Leo nodded wordlessly.

Casey Jones was also tall and attractive, looking to be a weight-lifter. He balanced several bags, bringing in the delicious wafting scent of Chinese take-out. Raph was already over there, the two greeting each other as two old friends would. Michelangelo was on his feet as well, leaving the rubber snake in his eagerness to eat. Donatello and April followed suit.

"Ah…" I could hear Master Splinter continuing to talk to Leo, "I believe my senses are detecting broccoli and chicken, and some fried rice. Remember, my son, the nose always knows." He chuckled, gently patting Leo's shoulder before making his way gracefully over to greet as well. The clatter of plates and silverware now joined the talking, Raph and Mike were getting in an argument of some sort. Though the atmosphere was still completely normal.

I felt awkward, I didn't want to get up. I felt like going home now.

This scene was of family. I felt like I was intruding.

I blinked when I caught Leo staring at me out of the corner of his eye. I deliberately turned so I was facing him, he was a chair away from me.

"Casey's a friend of yours, too…isn't he?" My tone was innocent and curious enough. I might as well speak to someone while I fought off embarrassment, fear, and desire to go home. I couldn't understand why I suddenly didn't feel that well…did that quick visitation from that creature have such an effect on me?

"Of course," he said stiffly. Oh so now he wouldn't look me in the eye.

"Well you haven't seen him in a while, he'd want to say hello to you, too."

"He's never even met you. Go introduce yourself, why don't you…" he countered.

"No, I—" I opened my mouth to steadily hold my ground, when the randomness and stupidity of the conversation caused me to break it off. I glanced away momentarily, then let my eyes drill him again.

"Why are you…so set on edge all the time?" I confronted him, leaning forward so I could keep my voice down. I tried to think of something else to add on, but that pretty much summed it all up for me.

His face flickered with indecision before he spoke in mutters, too.

"You don't understand. To tell you the truth, it's preferable that you don't. Otherwise you'd be running straight back to your little apartment shrieking."  
I was indignant, "You wanna bet?"  
He was leaning forward now, too, "What are you talking about?"

"Try me. Let me attempt to understand, if I'm as feeble and stupid as you treat me then running home would keep me out of your hair, speaking figuratively," I added with a glance at his bald head.

For a moment I allowed myself some self-gratification as he blinked. His expression twisted up into an undeterminable one, I couldn't tell if he was angry or merely thoughtful.

"Y'know, maybe you do need a bit of scaring. I think you're too bold for your own good, Alice."

"So I'm Alice now, not 'the girl'?"

He scowled at me. I continued: "What, do you think I'm being too bold hanging around you guys? Do you want me to be afraid of you?" I wanted it to sound tough, but somehow…it didn't.

Leo didn't reply, instead sat up straight again. His eyes were glazed with thought; his posture was almost annoyingly straight. By now I could feel the occasional inquisitive glance our way. It didn't matter, though, this conversation was over.

Without dwindling any longer nor having a wish to continue the pointless conversation, I got to my feet. Casey was nice, a little surprised to see me…but he never asked me where I had come from. I was glad neither of them had, or if they had already been filled in or not.

I was offered food, but I politely declined. I had no appetite save for one fortune cookie, which was chucked at me by Raph when I sat down again. He turned his attention away from my challenging expresson, one of my hands holding the cookie and the other cupped over my left ear.

"Man, you're lookin' more 'n more like a married man, Case," Raph grunted with a smirk. "Carryin' in the bags for supper."

Casey smirked right back, "I'm telling you, it's worth it." April blushed and looked down at her feet.

I ripped open the plastic wrap to get to my cookie, absently watching and listening to the socializing. Everyone seemed have a equal part, except for Leo…who was just as quiet as I was.

I was distracted as I cracked open the fortune cookie. The cookie did almost nothing for me, the texture and flavor was lost. My stomach bubbled unpleasantly to the added contents.

And I was convinced Leonardo was the one wound up tight…

"Are you sure you're not hungry for anything else, Alice?" April asked me politely. I shook my head and waited for them to finish their dinner.

And they did. Eventually.

The coffee table which sat in the midst of the living room soon bore all the traces of a thorough supper. Quite a few of the males were lounging back, full and content. April shot a little frown towards the wreckage of her living room and I threw her a look of sympathy. Our eyes met and she smiled. Only females would understand.

April was on her feet then, industriously depositing trash into a plastic bag. There was quieting down and a small pause. Leo took a breath and everyone waited, he seemed to have the natural leadership…it was expected that he start this dialogue. I took a small moment to wonder what kind of effect this could have on a person, whether they were human or not.

"I'm sorry about all of this right before your wedding, April and Casey." The remorse in his tone was true, and the two engaged glanced up.

"Don't sweat it Leo," Casey breezed with an effortless smile, "It's not your fault, man."

"We'll always be here to support you guys," April added as she sat down.

Leo bowed his head a bit and the others chorused their appreciation for the couple. I tilted my head at the sight in curiosity. A family, they really did seem close. Again I felt the urge to leave, my ankle twitched but otherwise I was completely motionless.

"So…what's this all about, anyway?" Casey's mood changed to more of a brooding sort, brow furrowed. "Some new enemy?"

"No…" the stillness in the room seemed to hit full on when Splinter spoke. He crossed his hands on his lap where he sat, his gentle but strong gaze falling over each one of us.

"Not a new enemy. An old one. And there are many of them."


	11. More Unsolved Mysteries

**Well I'm back. I would apologize for the long lapse of time where I didn't write anything, but I've had a lot going on and a lot on my mind. However, it's due to your reviews that I came back at all, really. If you enjoy the story, let me know or hassle me...I always feel guilty when people reveiw and it's been forever since I've updated, haha.**

**Good job, Hipprincess, you remembered the fortune cookie. I will not leave you dissatisfied :D**

**And to you all who are wondering about the romance, morning sun, for instance...I think I have you right where I want you. Just sit back and watch the show (...um...read it, I mean)**

**Disclaimer: blah blah blah**

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The mystical voice of Master Splinter had never captivated me more. Of course, never before had I so hungered for this particular information. Perhaps he was wise after all. Without thinking I gripped the sides of the chair I was sitting on, not bothering to brush a curtain of curls back to see better.

"Does this have to do with the Foot?" April cocked her head, merely looking curious yet.

Splinter shook his head, "If my assumptions are correct, we are dealing with a whole new people."

Tension hung thick in the air.

"And so what's the big deal?" Casey seemed to take notice of the stifled atmosphere. The Turtles had more-or-less locked up, listening to their sensei. Even Mikey was staring off into space, mesmerized by one patch of carpet. "What happened?"

"We're not exactly sure, not yet," Leo replied, his eyes flickered at me, then back.

There was a pause, a wait. Splinter spoke.

"I shall start from the beginning:

Many, many years ago, so long ago that most of us just assume they were a fairytale, there dwelt a secret race. They called themselves the 'Friends', the keepers and protectors of the earth, yet the very essence of them smelt foul.

They were fiercely beautiful creatures, with soft skin and warm…no, hot temperature. They were but a small race, gathered in small, close-knit communities. Most of the time they lived underground, or in the wild where they seldom would be bothered. It all changed when an old leader of the Foot, dating back hundreds of years, discovered them.

He was on a trip with his closest advisors and companions through the Amazon jungle. It is a common place for the ninja to connect with nature and to truly let the art of ninjitsu flow. One night while walking, he stumbled upon their people. At first he dismissed them to be one of the native tribes in South America, often brutal…but uncivilized and mostly harmless to him.

Yet the speech of them drew him in, unlike any language he had heard before. Their appearances seemed strange, like they were hiding something underneath…he followed them.

Later, the master ninja, named Taichi, went back to his camp. He described to his comrades all about what he had heard. Though the tribe looked innocent enough, he could not deny the chilling aura they gave off. No natives had ever breathed air so foul. Never before had the rainforest ever been so _cold_. The temperature was far below normal and the heat they radiated was far above normal.

So they all went back together, Taichi leading them right to where he had seen the natives reside.

Their campsite was gone. Every sign of human activity had vanished. They search 'round the place where Taichi swore he had seen them. Normal things, he had said, like little children running around with toys made out of vines and sticks, women working with their hands, caring for children, jabbering, and men with their spears and scantily clad muscular bodies. All the while he insisted they had been the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen.  
Taichi's companions were beginning to doubt him, which was a rare thing…Taichi was never a liar.

That evening while Taichi was washing himself by the river, they schemed about how they could get him back home. They figured something had gotten to him in the rainforest, that perhaps he was sick.  
When he returned, Taichi noticed his friends' stiff countenances. He was just about to ask them what the matter was when they were ambushed."

Master Splinter took a small pause, though everyone's focus was still centered on him.

"Deep underground they were led, blindfolded and tied up. The stories and tales tell of many things that supposedly happened down there in The Enemy's hold, but naming them all would take far too long and put far too many falsehoods in your minds. The fact remained that the creatures were not human, only imitating the life they had seen from humans. Where they came from or what they were was never found out.

Some stories say that after hearing Taichi's friends talk to each other, they picked up their speech and spoke to them. They promised friendly intentions to Taichi and his companions, and kept on wanting to cut a deal with him.

We do not know what Taichi said to them, but he emerged alive and well with all of his friends. They came back to Japan and didn't tell anyone, until Taichi mysteriously died a year later. That is the main story."

I was flooded with disappointment when he stopped. I sat up, watching the others snapping out of the reverie. I could see other expressions matching mine. Leo's brow was furrowed and his eyes were fixed on the carpet.

Questions swarmed in my mind, but Donatello beat me to it.

"Do you think these beings were responsible for Taichi's death?"

"His companions were almost positive of it, my son," Master Splinter replied softly, "They lived the rest of their lives paranoid, but they lived."

"Did they ever come in contact with the species again?" Leo asked.

"There are rumors of similar meetings, all having to do with the Foot…but no others. We do not know for sure whether this is the same thing we are dealing with now. Yet, the signs seem to point to it."

"Why did you call them 'Friends' at first, and then later: "The Enemy"?" I asked next.

"They considered themselves the friends of the earth; that was their name for themselves. We called them 'The Enemy' because they were. In all tales, members of the Foot and humans involved experienced horror and distress when being exposed to them…they seem to wish us ill."

I was suddenly reminded of the poor victims working at the Starbucks, my hands gripped the side of the seat. I hadn't thought those weird people frightening though…

"And whenever they moved into an area, the temperature would steadily drop. There is a rumor that they take colossal amounts of heat in from their environment, that's what makes them so warm. And…those who are fluent in ninjitsu, connected to the world around them…notice their presence. It is a disturbing aura that causes discord and stress within a family."

I knew he was relating these things to the events now occurring. I glanced out of the corner of my eye towards the Turtles. Raph wasn't looking at anyone or anything in particular, his face a scowl. Leo and Don both looked a little guilty, and Mikey was still emotionless.

There was a long silence. No one spoke for a while, but questions were still high.

"So you think they're back." April's clear voice cut the silence. It wasn't a question. "They are here, in the city."

"I have been watching and listening for months, my dear." Splinter spoke softly and slowly. "I am almost certain it is them."

"I mean, how do we really know if they are a threat? It could be all one misunderstanding," April continued.

"Um, hullo? Maybe the fact they attacked us and the humans!" Raph folded his arms.

"Hold, my son. It is a good question," Splinter nodded with approval to April. "We do not know what their intent is…however, I know that in all the stories they've only come in close contact with human life for a purpose. It is my belief they generally prefer to be alone."

"Something in their behavior…could they want something…or someone?" Leonardo's careful voice caused me to turn and look at him. Something about his expression frightened me, his tone, his words. My heart pounded so hard it nearly hurt, I was afraid they could all hear it. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away.

"Hold on a 'sec," Casey spoke when no one answered Leo's question right away. "I thought you guys describe these things as ugly, hideous critters. How come they're suddenly beautiful now, too?"

I was both grateful for the subject change, and that Casey had noticed something of interest.

"I am glad you noticed that," Splinter smiled sagely. To my surprise, he turned to me. "What did you see when you gazed upon attackers at the coffee shop?"

I felt many pairs of eyes on me now, I thought of my words before I spoke them. "They were very good looking." I admitted, the Turtles each looked a little repulsed. "But, what about the cashiers? The two girls working there were terrified at the sight of them. I wasn't." I tried to keep my voice even, talking about the two women who had passed away wasn't easy.

"Humans find them very attractive when they use their magic disguise themselves. However, it is my belief that somehow, something that night caused them to abandon their cover and that's why those poor girls saw the true, horrific beauty."

There was a long pause.

"You, on the other hand, Alice, are a mystery." They were all looking at me, I wished I could disappear.

"Because you seemed quite coherent for someone in that situation, they didn't seem to affect you." He stared at me for one long moment, almost as if by doing so he could unravel the workings of my mind. I didn't like it. I tried very hard to look confident and keep eye-contact.

Then abruptly he turned and answered Casey's question.

"As for my sons and I, we have all been affected in paranormal ways. We are not the same as you all are. I am not certain yet why we are so sensitive to these creatures, just the way I do not know why Alice is not. My intuition has grown sharp over the years, and it does not look kindly upon these beautiful, human-imitators. They do not_ feel_ right." The rat sensei sighed, leaving us all to ponder it for a moment, myself wondering who the real freak here was. Them or me?

"Now Leonardo, I think we must discuss what happened tonight. This could be pivotal," he nodded over to the lead Turtle.

I rubbed my fingers together. I knew Leonardo suspected me, I wondered what the others thought. I heard the story from their lips again, about the two men and the money, and the gunsire. They did not exclude the feeling the whole ordeal gave them.

"Sounds pretty normal to me," Casey shrugged, leaning back. "How do you know you're not blowing it out of proportion?"

"Why don't we ask the runt?" Raph turned his gaze on me. I flushed a little at the name, not sure if it was out of nervousness or anger.

"We're worried about you, Al," Mikey said, a bit softer than usual. "We can tell something happened to you."

"Even my evaluations of the situation point to it being a diversion, so someone or something could get to her," Don put in.

Leo stood up. "This is what I've been so impatient about. The look on your face spelled out shock for us." He cut immediately to the chase, his large brown eyes examining me. "Did you see anything on the roof, Alice?"

He might have been able to pass off this as caring and gentle, but his tone was cold and intimidated me.  
Everyone's attention was focused on me, I didn't know why it was so hard for me to speak the truth. After all, what would they do to me? Nothing, most likely. They just wanted to help, didn't they?

"Alice," Master Splinter gave me a gentle, but penetrating look. "Did you see anything my sons didn't?"

Then again, how much did I know these people? What good would it do to mention the two-second long meeting? Would Leo be convinced that these things wanted me and use me as bait? Or become a maniac stalker? As far as I was concerned, it was terrifying and I didn't want to have anything to do with it in the future.

"Yeah, okay…" I glanced at the ground, my cold fingers locking and unlocking around each other. "I have to admit, when I heard sounds of the battle coming from the building…I tried to get closer and…"

Leo was leaning in, possibly closer than he had been before. I couldn't understand what he wanted so badly, but I had a strong desire to give him the opposite. "…I nearly fell off," I ended lamely.

I felt the blush creeping on my face, and it was appropriate. "That's all," I muttered. "I was really nervous for you guys, and felt stupid for almost killing myself. I'm sorry."

I watched for reactions. Casey and April exhaled at the same time.  
Mikey looked stressed but yet almost relieved, "Watch what you're doing dudette! Maybe next time we should just leave you home!"  
"Well that settles it," Raphael immediately stood up to scrape up some leftovers in the kitchen.

To my astonishment, everyone dismissed it. I got one or two lectures, and overall the feeling was relief. Why not? Right? I mean it wasn't as if I had an encounter with one of those nightmarish, unnamed beings right? My thoughts were sarcastic and bitter, and I had a bad taste on my tongue.

Leonardo watched me for the rest of the night, even when he thought I wasn't looking. He was suspicious. I was liking him less and less, and yet I could not stop wondering what he thought of me or...why I even cared so much. It bothered me.

Master Splinter did not ask me any questions, but after my story, gazed at me for a while too.

There was empty scheming and talking for the rest of the night. Basically for everyone to keep their eyes open, there was going to be some research done. I was growing ever more tired, and I still felt on edge…nervous. Their conversations held no more informational value to me, I phased out…wishing to go home.

And...eventually:

"Alice, are you prepared to leave?" Donatello was kind, and his smiling face gave me some comfort. I came back to earth, blinking back into focus.

"Yes, please," the relief showed on my face, I'm sure. "...but if it's okay with you guys, I think I'm just going to take a taxi home."

"Not game for the scaarrry rooftops, eh?" Raph demanded, smirking.

"Not tonight," I said with a weak smile. If they thought I was terrified of heights, then let it be so. It was the alternative to being found out. "I'd rather feel the ground under my feet."

"Heys, I'll go with you," Mikey offered right away.

"You don't have a disguise, Mike," Leo rolled his eyes a little, crossing his arms.

"Listen, I'll be fine. I'm a grown girl y'know," I insisted with a grin.

"Thanks for coming to visit," April smiled at me, her tone very welcoming. I could also tell she was helping me close the argument.  
"Thanks for having me!" I replied quickly, easy to catch on.

"Fine, let's get going then. Sensei has already gone," Leo mentioned, heading for the window. Sure enough, the rat-man had disappeared. I was surprised that that particular Turtle-man was so ready to leave.

It was just a feeling, but I still sensed that he had a problem he wanted to discuss with me. Of course, that was why I was going for the taxi plan, I did not want to be interrogated. I felt relief at his sudden disinterest.

I stood up as everyone was saying goodnight, stretching a little. As I did so, a fluttering movement caught my eye. I glanced down to see a small piece of paper had been on my lap the entire time. I hadn't noticed it.  
_Oh yeah, the fortune cookie, duh._ I bent down and picked it up. When I straightened up, the Turtles were lined up by the window, ready to leave.

"Good night Alice, be careful on the streets," Donny admonished. The others bid goodnight too, Raph even worked up a grunt for me. I smiled and nodded, saying farewell and assuring them all I had had a good evening.

Of course, the evening had not been good…but it had been informative. I would have much to ponder when I got home.

April walked me down to the street, and we small talked. She was a reporter, which was pretty cool. This led me to ask several questions, which she answered patiently. It was easy for my distracted mind to think up a few normal questions, I hope she didn't see right through my guise. If so, April probably thought I was a nutcase.

"You should come back to visit sometime," she paused at the door. I wrapped my coat tighter around myself, bracing against the chilly wind.

"Thank you, it was so nice meeting you." I smiled genuinely, "Ha, thanks for the help earlier. I had a feeling they would give me a hard time about walking alone."

"Well who can blame them? If all this is true, you are associated with us…you could be in danger, too." Her fingers curled around the doorknob, tone turning serious. I didn't want her to catch a cold in her T-shirt, I had to end the conversation and go.  
Yet I realized that despite this night, she sounded skeptical of what was going on. **_If_**_ this is all true?_ Nothing came out in my momentary cloud of thought. She hastened to continue.

"But you're welcome, of course. I completely understand."

"Thanks," I grinned, coming to very quickly...and feeling like a complete retard again. "Well I won't leave you standing in the cold. Good night!"

"'Night!"

I turned, a quiet thump telling me that April had closed the door and retreated to her warm apartment. I jerked my hands out of their pockets, going to throw a hood over my head when I remembered the slip of paper in my fist. I unfolded it.

Lit by the dim city street lights and flashing signs, I read the fortune impatiently.  
I paused, rereading it as a slow dawning came upon me.  
A sudden gust of wind caught me, and unexpectedly swept the paper away. I glanced at my empty hands, an eerie feeling sweeping over me, but I shrugged it off and walked on. _Silly fortune papers,_ I thought.

Yet… the fortune replayed itself over and over in my head:

_"Two pathways are before you. The time to choose which path you will take is coming to an end. You cannot go back."_


	12. A Turning Point

**I've been away for several weeks, but finally here is the next chapter! I actually had most of it done (believe it or not) not long after I published the eleventh chap. Oh yeah, I like reviews please.**

**So without further ado (and because I'm extremely tired and want to go to bed without filling this with chatter)... Chapter Twelve: A Turning Point.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles**

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I let sound of the city fill my ears. All of the recent irregularities of life melted away. I enjoyed myself that evening; even if it was for only a few minutes, stretching my legs in the streets and taking in the sight of normal people doing their normal business. I forgot about the consistently dropping temperatures, I was good at ignoring things when I was stubborn enough.

I bought a donut at a nearby store, filled with cherry jelly and meltingly glazed. Then I did something that I generally never have done: stopped to watch street performers on the way home.

After depositing a few dollars into the plastic bucket at the foot of the performer, I went on my way. The donut was finished and I hastened to call a taxi. It was time to go home, enough dawdling on the streets. I'd have to go back to my apartment, and let my thoughts overwhelm me.  
A yellow cab came to a rather screechy stop in front of me. There was a small pause, barely noticeable amidst the honking of horns, flashing of lights, the strumming of the performers behind me, and the wind whispering in my ear. My fingers, having curled around the car door, paused; my eyes were shut.

Then the moment was gone.

I jumped in, comforted by the blast of heat. My cold cheeks felt numb to the warmth. I recited the address to the driver and sat back, glancing out the window in silence.  
Before I knew it...lo and behold! I stood at the entrance to the apartment housing and nothing had happened to me. I felt a little smug, a little more self assured and confident. I could hold myself together quite fine thank you very much.

I clumped up the stairs and made my way towards my home.

The first funny thing I noticed was that the door wasn't closed. My forehead crinkled, I was puzzled. I ripped off my mitten and shoved it in my coat pocket, grabbing for the metal doorknob. It was warm, as if someone had handled it recently. It was unlocked.  
All I had to do was push lightly for the door to open into my hallway.

Frowning a little, I walked into the kitchen area. It all clicked when I saw Hunter's jacket draped over one of the chairs. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay Hunter, get out here. I wish you would close my door after you come in!" I called out, shedding my coat, hat and scarf. When I straightened up, I realized how quiet the apartment was. No stereo or television cranked up like normal. Was something wrong? I bent down to untie my shoelaces, "Hunter!?"

As I was untying my laces, I saw a pair of shoes walk into sight. Men's shoes. My first thought was to chastise my brother for not taking them off.

They were not my brother's shoes.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._ Was that my heart beating? It echoed in my ears like the clash of a symbol in an arena. My eyes travelled upwards, stained and dirty jeans, to a studded belt and chain wallet, tight fitting black T-shirt advertising Metallica on it, thick shoulders and arms. His jaw was wide, he was sporting a five o- clock shadow, thick nose and a heavy brow. His eyes were dark, dark brown, and nearly lost under the mop of brown, dirty hair.

I did not recognize this face.

"Hey chill out," he spoke, scanning my expression. "You look like you've just seen someone die."

It was meant to be a light comment, but my face remained dark. I straightened up slowly.

"You startled me." I answered automatically; his shoulders seemed to relax but his expression frightened me. "Who are you?"

He looked disappointed, joking around, "Hey, don't you remember me, hun? At Hunter's graduation party? Great time, great beer." My distrust etched up a notch.

"Yeah but what's your name?" I took a step back, closer to the kitchen cabinets. He took a step forward. He didn't answer, just looked at my face...hard. I took another step back. "Where's Hunter?" Fury at my own self lashed through me when a tremor caught my voice.

"Hey, shhh, it's alright. He's back at his place, chillin' out. We were hanging and he fell asleep on the sofa. I heard about you, that you were alone tonight. So, I borrowed his jacket and came to say hi."

"How did you get into the apartment?" Plans, forms of self defense were racing through my mind. At the same time I felt numbed. I continued to slowly step backwards. A little further and I could get into my knife drawer.

I think Splinter and Leo had a point about something. There was an aura about a person. A distinct feeling or vibe they gave off. My arms and legs were sporting goosebumps.

He came closer suddenly, warning signs flashed in my head. I bumped into the counter behind me, hands flying behind my back as he towered above me.

"Just relax, I've heard about you…and I want to get to know you more, Alice."

That was it, when he spoke my name. I reached into the drawer and grabbed the first handle that my hand came to. I whipped it around, but he was already at my arms. He saw the steely flash of metal and with strength I couldn't compete with, brought my struggling wrist into view. I gasped and yanked away.

"A knife? I'm not going to hurt you, princess."

I stamped on his foot; he was able to stop himself in mid-yell. I shouted something incomprehensible and slipped under his arm, twisting out of his grasp. The man pursued me.

I flew over the couch, the living room my closest escape route. I searched for a weapon, anything I could find. He knocked over the coffee table and tripped on the indoor plant on his way after me. There is a sharp pain that is always easily recognized as your hair being pulled. He regained his balance by hanging onto my mane of curls. I let out a sharp cry of pain; he continued to yank me closer. Instinctively when he spun me around, I aimed a kick between the fork in his legs.

The man hissed angrily through his teeth, crouching in pain. I ripped from his grasp and flew towards my bedroom door. I'd like to see him try and break through the solid wood door once I had it locked. There was a phone in there, I could call for help and he surely would hightail it before you could say nine-one-one.

"Come back here!" he snarled. The bedroom door was slightly open, I pushed through it and spun around to close and lock the door. I gasped, the doorknob was gone. No lock in sight. For a moment I had a moment of pure, unadulterated panic and indecision. Dead end. I could hear him stomping closer.

I spun around, my eyes flying over the room for anything I could use to my advantage.

The window! Of course! If Mikey preferred it for his exiting and entering, perhaps I could utilize it as well. It was my last hope.

I threw myself at the window, almost expecting it to stick. It slid open smoothly, and a gust of icy New York air stole my breath away. Freedom and safety beckoned, I saw a window sill to my right I could clutch to, and then drop myself on the fire exit from there.  
I was unable to jump before a strong grip seized my shirt and pulled. I heard the sound of fabric tearing as the ceiling came into view and my back hit the wooden floor. I screamed.

The man was there, his large, cigarette-smelling hand muffled my shout. Dark hair hung over his face. It was contorted with rage and his forehead was coated in perspiration.

I struggled, kicked, punched, bit…it became a furious fight. His arms, his hands were everywhere, blocking me. Not particularly painful, until I received a blow to the ear. The world rung and shook around me, I was pinned to the floor with a weight on top of me.

"Hunter!" I called with as much strength as my breathless, strained lungs would allow me. "Someone help me!!"

"It won't hurt for long," he whispered, his breath smelled…though like what I couldn't piece together. "Just let go. Give up!"

His dirty face by mine, hair falling around me, arms forcing me in a cage I could not escape. I arched my back and resisted beneath him as he bound my wrists above my head with one hand. I screamed for help again, but he pressed his free hand even harder to my mouth and my nose, blocking off most of my air supply. His weight began to make me feel dizzy, or was it the lack of air?

The man's voice was impatient and demanding now, he was swearing and cursing. His hand slipped down to my throat, I gasped in the air. It traced down my collarbone.

And then...it stopped. The weight disappeared. He was pulled cleanly off me, and the next moment I was staring at the empty ceiling…my body quaking.

There was a muffled yell, a grunt, a small crash, and then a thump. Silence came next. I sat up, wishing my breathing weren't so hard.

In the center of my small bedroom, the attacker lie motionless. His face covered by the hair, expression no longer frenzied as it had been. His unconscious body was kicked aside by the turtle above him. I swallowed.  
I glanced back up at Leo, for Leonardo it doubtless was. He just stood there, half-tensed as if he were still in battle. He dropped his fists, watching me steadily all the while.

"If you have any other little visitors, I think they also should be disposed of right now."

I couldn't think of anything to say, slowly drawing my knees up. I shook pitifully, shock decorated my expression.

"Oh, sorry about the glass. He actually tried to hit me. And he missed." A jar had crashed to the ground, its contents being a scented candle. He glanced down at the mess. I hadn't even heard it happen. In fact, there was still a loud pounding in my ears. I concentrated harder.

"No, it's okay." My voice was small.

He stared at me real hard again, I kept eye contact…but my face was unguarded…still shocked and afraid.

Leo sighed, and for the first time that day actually looked softened. "You. Stay here. I'm going to take the trash out…" he gestured to the unconscious being on the floor. "…I'll be right back. Okay?"

I nodded mutely.

Then he was up, slinging the man over his shoulder and adjusting to the weight before ducking out of the window. I did not get up to follow his process. I sat still on the floor, adrenaline still coursing through my veins.

_You should do something useful,_ I stared at my knee as my conscious rung out. _Like tidy this place up, or get yourself a glass of water. Something. You're safe now._

Instead I drew my knees up to my chest and encircled them with my arms. I sat still for a long minute or two, thinking.  
I was unhurt. The back of my T-shirt was torn, and a few places throbbed but I hardly noticed. I had been wrong, and at such a bad time…with such bad consequences. How would I live with this? I let the reality of this sink into me, it stole away the remainder of my strength. I trembled.

Something touched my shoulders, I flinched. It was Leo.

He was crouching down next to me, this sudden, close proximity caused me to scramble away. My eyes were glued to his face, I had never seen this emotion on it before. Concern. It was concentrated fully on me.

"Alice. Are you alright?"

"Yes," I said it too quickly. Before he finished talking, even.

"He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"No," my voice was sharp, quick. "I'm fine." I hid all of my fear and angst behind a mask of irritation. His face hardened.

"You don't look fine. Your pulse is skyrocketing."

My face reddened and my heart thudded even harder. I denied it. "How do _you_ know that?" I waved one of my arms in the air rather violently.

His face was stone, motionless…before his eyes sparked with something. Something altogether different. A corner of his mouth lifted. Amusement?

I was suddenly, decidedly, mad.  
"You followed me," I pointed my acusing finger at him.

He shrugged, not denying it. I couldn't give him the icy look I looked for. I sighed, leaning against my bed and stared at the opposite wall. He stretched out his legs, sitting down next to me. "It was a good thing, I did, too."

"A good thing you don't trust me. Funny how things work out, isn't it?" It was easy to see. Why else would he spy on me? His face had been lined with suspicion that entire night.

He grunted. "Should I trust you? I have no reason to. You're lying to us, the enemy is somehow interested with you, I never know what is going behind those eyes of yours and whether you mean what you say or not. You could be endangering my family."

I had nothing to say. He had a point, and for that reason I was bitter.  
"Then why didn't you just let him have me?" I bore my eyes into the wall, muttering. I didn't know why I felt so offended. Why did I care what he thought about me? "Maybe teach me a lesson."

He moved so quickly he was a blur, inches from my face. I pressed back into the mattress of my bed. My heart jumped to my throat.

Leonardo's eyes were narrowed, "No! I may be unclear about your intentions but you may never be ignorant of mine."

I was silenced by this moment of shock. _What?_ He continued, explaining.

"I do what is respectable, what is right. We all do. It would have been a monstrous thing back there for me to be present and let that happen."

My tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth, it was closed tightly.His dark brown eyes ensnared mine for a few moments. I looked away, uncomfortable. He backed up, this time on his feet.

"Thank you," my voice caught slightly. I winced in embarassment. At least he was turned away from me.

A pause.

"You're welcome," it was gruff. There was a silence. I looked towards my knob-less door.

He came back, and to my surprise...sat right back down again. "I'm not asking for anything in return. However, I'm considering you to...please...reconsider and tell me the truth."

I didn't look at him, my reply was ready. "What if whatever my answer is prompts you to bother me even more than you do now? I don't want to be followed around. Maybe I don't want to have anything to do with whatever you're dealing with."

He watched me, his gaze intense and his words slow. "Oh, I believe you don't have a choice."  
When I didn't answer, he continued. "Alice, you're in this now. Your life is in danger, like ours are. Although, unlike us, you have no mutant ninja skills to defend yourself."

I reddened again, but it was true. The truth was beginning to dawn on me, and I knew he could see it in my eyes. I knew what I had to do. I guess I had known it all along.

I let my head loll back and closed my eyes for a moment, submitting to defeat. I could feel the satisfaction radiating off of him now. Fact won out here, made me choose to tell. He was right, I was wrong.  
Now I was choosing a side. The side I'd have to cling to in danger. I felt helpless and dirty again, as if that stranger were momentarily in the room again.

"It was a man," I breathed. "One of _them_. He knew my full name and told me 'stop what I was doing. It is foolishness'." Those words sounded alot stupider when I said them. "Then he was gone."

He was quiet for a little while, and pressed further. He asked about the height of the stranger I had met on the roof hours ago, what he looked like, what he wore. Of course, I had very little to tell about this, explaining he disappeared quickly.

He stood up, pacing. "Why do they want you? Why are you so special?" He glanced at me quickly, "No offense."  
"None taken," I rolled my eyes, and then sighed. "I would like to know the answer to those questions as well."

He was quick to try and tie things together. Make sense of things. "Do you think that man who broke into your house had anything to do with this?"

I cringed at the recent memory, the details still fresh in my mind.

"I don't know," I rubbed my forehead. I suddenly felt exhausted, pushed to my limits.

He was persistent, "Do you know anything else? Anything at all?"

"No. I would tell you."

"Would you?" he said quickly.

I glanced up at him, I couldn't read his expression in the dim lighting from here.

"Yes," my face was sure this time. If I was going to side with the Turtles, let it be all or nothing.

He thought it over. "Okay, enough for tonight. You are tired out of your mind."

I couldn't deny this. I slowly pulled myself to my feet. "Finally."

Now we were both standing, watching each other. His gaze was deep and penetrating and for a moment, I longed to know what was going on inside that thick skull of his. Then my train of thought broke off abruptly. I started to sway slightly, my eyes became unfocused. His hand shot out to my wrist in effort to steady me.

"Hey!" he said it loudly, I blinked and straightened up. He retracted his hand just as fast. I took a step back. He erased the concern on his features and transformed into something emotionless again. "You're about to topple over. Go to bed."

"Not until you leave," I stifled a yawn.

He nodded, "Fair enough. Get some sleep. I'll be back tomorrow."

"What?" I sat on my bed, trying to comprehend what he was saying. "What about tomorrow? Why?"

He sighed, "Alice McKellen, lay down."

"Yes, _Mother_," I said with dripping sarcasm. It was getting hard to concentrate though, everything muddying up. "Get out of my house, first," I demanded sleepily.

This time I heard a chuckle followed by "Sweet dreams."

Then, nothing.


	13. A Cheesy Rendezvous

**Hey all. Here's my update. I honestly did not plan for it to take so long. I really am getting back into the story. **

**Tears, you asked about the donut. Donuts are, at least for me, mostly a comfort food or a snack. Sometimes being with certain company or in a particular place can really steal the appetite from you. So Alice was just meandering through the streets, trying to preoccupy herself and clear her mind. It was unconscious but a way to comfort herself. Glad you asked :)**

**The Megalamoose likes long reviews, they make her happy and motivated.**

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I was at my aunt's house. It was an annual thing we did with my family; leave the city and stay with some family out at their farm.

The clear pond stretched out before me. My toes wiggled into the soft grass underfoot. A smile slid onto my features as I prepared to run and jump into the swimming hole. I was a good fifteen feet away from the body of water when I started to run. My bare feet slapped lightly on the ground, I threw my arms out, catching the breeze. When I reached the edge, I threw myself into the air. It was radiant, a simple joy overflowing my senses.  
The cool water surrounded me. It was everywhere. Above me, below me, in me. I wished I could breathe in it, and for that moment...I could. Light streamed down, I opened my eyes and marveled at the beauty this clear pond beheld.

Yet, something didn't seem right. I couldn't tell what it was at first. Slowly the goosebumps travelled up my arms. Then, I couldn't breathe. I clutched at the water, which seemed to be pulling me down, down now. The temperature, which had been warm and gentle…was now cold, cold, cold.  
I screamed, no bubbles issued from my mouth.

Something latched onto my ankle. I glanced down below me, a hand emerged from the weeds…deathly white in color. I screamed again, thrashing away. Not again! Not again! I struggled to swim up, wildly throwing my arms above me. Without warning, some other hand plunged into the water towards me. It was green and only had three fingers. Grabbing my wrist, it gave an even harder yank.

So there I was, trying to get to the surface…drowning in this cold, cold water. Two grips pulled me in different directions. My heart began slamming loudly against my chest, impossibly loudly. It grew louder, louder, louder…

_THUMP, THUMP, THUMP_

I sat up. Cold sweat drenched my forehead, my cheeks, my arms. My room was swathed in darkness, the cool night air drifting in from my window. No choking water surrounding me, just my safe sheets and pillows. Yet what had woken me continued to send chills down my spine.

_THUMP THUMP_

I had no time to relax from the nightmare I had experienced. The dull sound came from what sounded like the other side of my apartment. I hesitated, still getting my bearings.

Then my doorbell sounded, and resounded. It was from my door. I glanced at my clock: 3:30 AM. Someone making this much of a racket couldn't be dangerous, could they? Then I realized who it could be. Who else would bother me at this time of night? I slipped off my bed and made immediately for the door.

Hunter was standing out there. His face was lined with worry, making him look older than I had ever seen him before. He was wearing nothing but a T-shirt and jeans, and just lifting his hand to bang on the door again.

"Alice!" he gasped.  
"Hunter," my breath was squeezed out of me a little as he nearly tackled me to the ground with a hug. And, I found I needed it too.

"Why don't you come in?" I croaked, my throat and mouth was dry. "You must've been freezing out there."

"Alice, you're alright! I mean, are you alright? I was so worried about you. I woke up and he was gone, and I got suspicious and…" Hunter was babbling, but the ice in my blood said that I knew exactly what he was talking about.

Time to play it cool. Hunter could not know what happened. "Shhh, please, Hunter," I soothed my voice, trying to keep my own coutenance calm. "Hey I'm absolutely fine, other than being a bit shocked from being woken up at half past three in the morning."

He swallowed, quiet for a moment. Then his voice was low, and the tone rather frightened me.  
"Alice, you're telling me that no one came here. You've been by yourself?"

I unstuck my throat, "Yes." It shook a little, I cringed inwardly but bounced back, putting on my motherly mask. "What's going on Hunter? Are you okay?"

"Shh, just listen to me. I was hanging out with this guy, Chase, a friend from highschool. He came by and we watched TV and stuff for a little while. We talked a bit. I went to the bathroom and when I came back he was looking at family pictures, he asked about you. I answered quickly and we moved on, I thought I saw him glance over at the picture a few times but I didn't think anything of it. I fell asleep…" This was starting to sound familiar, I started running through excuses in my mind while listening intently to his story.  
"…when I woke up he was gone. It seemed just like him, he's always been a little dodgy but honestly, I do try to help him." He paused to glance around real quick, still suspicious. His eyes fell back on her. "The key to your apartment was gone."

I fought back the violent shiver that threatened my body.

"My jacket was also missing from…the back of the couch. I could've sworn I'd thrown it there. I remember he came to my house without one--"

"Hunter," I decided this was my chance to intervene. Meanwhile my brain was working out the fact that I'd seen Hunter's jacket laid out on the kitchen counter behind me. The man had worn it to my apartment. I turned around nonchalantly, glad the kitchen was dark enough for me to snag the jacket and hide it behind my back. I talked while I did this.

"First of all, this isn't the first time you've misplaced either the key or the jacket. Hit the light switch, please?"

He followed me in, and when he turned to get the light, I shoved his jacket behind the refrigerator. Strange, I know, but my only option at the time to keep away the evidence.

"Look, I'm sorry Alice. I was just so worried. I know Chase's had problems like this before, I was so, so afraid he'd come here." His gaze was so sad and yet loving, my heart was deeply touched.

"Dear brother," I walked over and put my arms around him. "I am so lucky to have a sibling like you." I meant it. For a moment I was quiet, caught in this embrace. My eyes stung, and I was taken aback by this sudden wave of emotion. Though I fought it back, one thought was profound in my mind.

_What if Leo had not come for me?_

"Okay," Hunter pulled me away to glance down at me, his face a bit curious. "I know you must have work in the morning. I'm sorry for waking you."

"Don't be, I enjoy early visits from my brother," I regained my composure, though my mouth was oh so dry. "Really early…"

He laughed a little, "Well don't look forward to them. You won't get them unless it's an emergency."

"That's probably very true," I agreed with a smile. "You sleeping on my couch tonight?"

His expression was suddenly serious again, his brow furrowed.

"Yes, I think so."

I could see what he was thinking. Just in case this 'Chase' decided to come. But he had already wreaked havoc here, and I was pretty sure that fella wasn't ever coming back.  
As we walked out of the kitchen, I suddenly realized that the house should be a wreck. After all, that horrid man had destroyed half of my house while pursuing me. Before I could stop Hunter from turning on the lamp, he did. I prepared myself for the startled look that the mess would induce from him.

There was no mess. The room was definitely clean. Everything was untouched, just as I would have it any other day. I was floored, standing like a statue. Hunter didn't notice, grabbing the blanket folded over the couch and shedding his shoes. When I glanced over, he was getting comfortable.

"Aren't you going to bed?"

I nodded, trying to find my voice. _C'mon Alice, you need to act completely normal. _"Goodnight, Hunter. See you tomorrow."

He nodded, reaching for the lamp switch. I shuffled off to my bedroom. The door handle was still missing, a weird oddity. What kind of person removed the door handle when he broke into someone's house? I tried not to think about it, it was making me sick. When I closed it as much as I could, I also realized that the broken glass from the candle was cleaned up too.

He must've done it. Leonardo. But why?

I sunk onto my bed, still a little stunned. _Wait…did he…knock me out? I definitely don't remember lying down to sleep. _Yes_. I remember that smug expression. That…egotistical cretin! I can't believe he had the nerve to...to do that! _

My shocked suddenly abated, replaced with irritation. I threw myself down on the bed, squeezing my eyes shut. I'm never going to sleep now.

* * *

An alarm went off. My hand shot out of the cocoon of blankets to slap it off. Groaning, I sat up. My hand snaked its way up into my tangled hair as my eyes glanced at the window. It was early. I had fallen asleep, ironically after I had been so sure that I wouldn't. I slipped out of bed, going through the motions: shower, comb hair, brush teeth, get changed into my waitress outfit. My mind did not work, I focused on the little tasks at hand. I knew I would have to think about all of this, but I was happy putting it off till the last moment.

Hunter was practically dead on the couch, I did not wake him. I left a little note for him on the countertop, as I did so my gaze flickered to the refrigerator. I debated about that for a while, but decided to leave it there for the moment. I was sure he wouldn't come upon it. The man was known to get in the 'fridge, not behind it. I would find a way to get it back to his apartment without his knowing. I only felt bad that he didn't have a coat right now, I hoped he would stay in the apartment today.

Donning my own jacket, I exited the apartment and made my way onto the streets. Riding a bus to work was my only option this morning, I didn't complain.  
As I took my seat, missing my Chevy, a sudden ringing from my coat pocket caused me to jump. My cell phone. I did not frequently use my cell phone, it was only a method of necessity for me. I just was not the kind of person who you'd see texting or chatting away twenty-four, seven.

"Hello?"

It was Mr. Barb, my boss. "Alice, you okay kid?"

I swallowed, why was this happening to me? I should just walk around with a sign saying "SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY" plastered to my forehead. "Yes, why?"

"Well you've taken off more than you usually do. I just wondered if something was up." He didn't dwell on the subject, I appreciated it. "You on your way to work?"

"Yes sir," I glanced out the bus window, rolling my eyes at myself. I was becoming way too paranoid.

"Good," he grunted, "I want you to set up shop then. I'm going to be late, due to a little…incident. Bett is sick, so we've got Jason and the newbie today. Got it?"

"Mmhmm." I had the key to the restaurant. It was good to have your employer trust you. Good things happen to you.

I said good bye to him, he was apparently in a hurry. Jason would be late, as always, but Mr. Barb let it slip because we couldn't afford to lose him. We all called it the "The Great Exception." Only he was allowed to sleep in (though Mr. Barb hated it and constantly complained), the rest of us loved our general well-being too much to argue. The newbie wouldn't be late, but wouldn't come this early either. So it would be me and…well, me, until Mr. Barb came.

The bus pulled to a stop, I got off and pulled my coat tighter as the cold air brushed against my face. Traffic wasn't big today, I hoped it would be quiet in the diner. I ambled off the bus, ignoring the driver as he shot me glances in attempt to hasten my departure. I was going to take my time as much as I desired to.  
I walked a few blocks down to the diner. The sign was not yet turned on, yet the restaurant's name still stood out boldly: "Barb's Diner." The restaurant had been in my boss's family for a long time.

I inserted the key into the lock and pushed the door open. The bell rung, puncturing the quiet atmosphere inside the dark room. It wasn't much warmer inside, though it should've been. Breathing out, I took off my mittens and jammed them in my pocket. That's when I heard it.

A loud crashing sound came from behind the swinging kitchen door. Hectic beeping, something that sounded remarkably like the kitchen microwave (used for more personal reasons rather than serving customers--that was the ovens' job) echoed in the background. I also heard a loud groan, frustrated and deep…masculine.

This just wasn't my week, was it?

Yet, curiosity was what reared up. I didn't feel a twinge of fear or discomfort for some reason. Narrowing my eyes, I silently closed the distance between the glassy front door and the kitchen.

The lights were not on, only a tiny bit of natural illumination streamed in from the little windows. Steam rolled in thick clouds, and beeping sound increased…becoming positively shrill. I gave a little gasp and reached over to flick on the light.

The billows of steam cleared, revealing a jaw dropping sight. I stared for a long moment, unsure what emotion to feel. Something shook my frame, my own feeling. I…I was…I was laughing. The peals of laughter came out so hard that I grabbed onto the nearby counter for support. My knees shook and my curly hair fell around my face.

Leonardo, the one and only--the subject of all my recent thoughts--was frozen in the position of seizing the microwave, having lifted the large thing clean off the counter with his two hands in utter frustration and hopelessness. He was covered in some gooey yellow substance, its prominent smell identifying it as cheese. There were also flecks of white here and there; egg. The trolley of once clean dishes behind him were also splattered with melted cheddar and eviscerated egg, only half of the stainless steel bowls and platters had crashed to the floor. No doubt this had occurred in some clumsy movement. Or had it? This mutant turtle always seemed so graceful and sure of himself. I had to keep peeking from my lashes to make sure it was him.

The turtleman was no longer holding the microwave. It was crookedly set back down on the counter. I couldn't quite read the expression on his face at first. When he had first seen me, shock flitted across his features and froze his posture. Now I could see that the shock was turning into shame and embarrassment. He stood as straight and tall as could be and folded his arms. I straightened up, trying to control myself. He waited patiently, his expression emotionless.

The bit of egg dangling from his chin completely broke me down again. The microwave continued its shrieking; effectively drowning out my giggles, but you didn't have to hear me to see how hard I was laughing.

His resolve broke. "WELL?! Are you going to assist or NOT?!" He practically roared it at me. I wobbled over towards him, his ferocious aggravation did nothing to sway my temporary high.

"Watch," I mouthed at him, practically face to face with the stressed guy. I turned towards the wall, unable to hide a slight wince from the loud shrieking, I dearly hoped that Mr. Barb would be very late. Following the cord behind the machine, I gave it a good yank. The plug popped out of the wall outlet. The loud beeping noise ceased immediately.

"Agh," I stuck my pinky finger in my ear, trying to clear out the resounding ring in my head. "That was loud."

And suddenly I was grinning up at him. I knew I shouldn't feel like I had been justified. After all, knocking me unconscious last night was a small price compared to saving me and even tidying up my apartment.

And I felt…like I was looking at a different Leo. Albeit one covered in cheese. I giggled again. He did not look amused at the fact that all he had to do was unplug the cursed thing.

"Thanks," he grunted, I noticed the edge of hurt pride in his voice.

"No problem," I was still happy as a lark. "By the way, you wanna tell me what you are doing?"

He stared at me, fixing me in the gaze of those questioning eyes. I didn't understand his expression. My smile fell a few notches. Suddenly he shook it off, glancing over at the microwave calmly…breaking the tension. "Uhm, well y'see…I haven't had a good omelet in a long time. The old microwave in the den isn't working any more. I thought I'd drop by your work place and make myself a hot breakfast while I waited for you."

"…me?" I had been smirking a second ago, the smile was wiped completely off of my face. I was puzzled. My brain didn't wait for his reply to come to its conclusion, my mouth following it out almost as fast. "Oh come on, you're increasing the stalking?"

He was readjusting the microwave to its original position. Comically, he looked almost tentative to touch the thing. The corners of my mouth twitched up again.

"Obviously I told you last night I'd 'see you tomorrow,' so unless you didn't get the hint…"

I rolled my eyes, wetting a rag in the kitchen sink. "C'mon, stop avoiding the question."

"Right, we're going to have you come back to our home today. There are some things you should know…if you're going to team up with us."

I handed him the warm washcloth. I wondered what he had done to the microwave to get it to explode food all over him. I decided not to ask. He stared at the cloth in my hand before smiling a little and accepting it. "Thanks."

"Mmhmm. Oh yeah, and it's going to have to wait until after work," I agreed. I had had a feeling that there was so much more to the story of these guys. I had plenty of questions as well. "If I keep taking off, people will get suspicious."

He mopped at his face. I was already hastening to clean up the mess, picking up the dishes (thankfully none broken or dented) and transferring them to the large sink. I started up the faucet and squirted dish soap everywhere.

"I completely understand. That's why I also came to see you this morning. Though you are probably are fully aware already, we need to keep everything hidden." He was helping me stack dishes. My arms worked quickly to scrub off the splashed food, it wasn't hard and I was very practiced at this activity.

Suddenly he paused, causing me to do so as well. He glanced down at me from the corner of his eye.

"Are you doing alright?"

I knew what he was talking about, my hands slowed almost to a stop. I stared at a particular bubble for a moment before making eye contact.

"Yeah, I am." I smiled, unsure for a moment before adding with an edge in my voice, "Fell asleep pretty quickly last night."

I saw a pronounced smirk flash across his face. I tightened my lips a little, but there was a trace of a smile in my eyes. I rinsed a few dishes with the water hose.

"I didn't bonk you over the head or anything, just a little tap on the temples. It was for your own good. You were being…difficult."

I ran my tongue over my teeth, tempted to reply sharply. I did, just not verbally. Turning the water gun up, I pressed in the handle and sprayed a short burst of lukewarm water into the certain someone's face. Instant satisfaction. He spluttered, stumbling back; I was the one smirking now. I went back to rinsing dishes. He stared at me.

I pretended to look innocent."What…? You had a little bit of egg left on your cheek…"

Leo's features slowly unlocked and I saw a warm glint in his eyes. "Difficult," he repeated under his breath, turning his back to me to wipe the counter. For a split second I could've sworn that I'd seen a hint of a smirk on his face.

As I finished drying the dishes, I wondered what was up with me? Was it just seeing him in his predicament that suddenly put me in a good mood? I couldn't quite tell. "Well, not that it hasn't been fun…" I sported a sly smirk, "…but I think maybe you'd better get going before my boss gets here."

He tossed the dishrag into the sink beside me. The kitchen was now looking normal again, though I could still detect the scent of cheese. I flipped on the fans, hoping they would clear out the air in a matter of minutes. To my surprise he sniggered, leaning back on the counter behind him.

"Do you actually think I would come and cook something at any restaurant while there was a possibility I might be discovered?"

"What are you saying?" My mouth went the tiniest bit dry, my eyes narrowed into slits. I could tell what was coming.

"Don't worry, I made it an easy but tedious task for him to overcome. Just enough so that I would get some time."

I didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to reprimand Leonardo, this seemed very unlike his personality. However, who did I have to thank for brightening my day? He went on to comment on that particular situation:

"Of course," he continued sourly, staring at the microwave balefully. "I certainly didn't make out fine, did I? Apparently I have a severe imcompetence when it comes to microwaves."

I laughed, "Apparently…but here…"

I crossed to one of the massive refrigerators. Inside one was where our sub sandwiches packed and ready to sell. They were just a side item, and generally we made them fresh by hand but we always had a few wrapped up and kept cold.

"I hope you like turkey," I pulled out the paper bag and shook the footlong inside a little.

Leo's brow shot up when I handed it to him. I guessed at what he was thinking. I entertained myself for a moment imagining him:_ First she attacks me with the water nozzle and now she's feeding me lunch, what the hell?_

"It's thanks for cleaning my house last night."

He accepted the paper bag, a bit of a smile coming onto his features. "Came in handy, didn't it?"

I nodded, and leaned back. My thoughts took a more serious twist, why was I thanking him for tidying my house and not for the reason why it needed cleaned in the first place? Well, I had, last night. Somehow it didn't seem enough. I felt like I was greatly indebted to him.

"I'll find some way…to thank you…for what you did last night." I hated myself as I struggled to find the words. His eyes were surprisingly gentle, but I still had problems meeting their gaze.

"Hey…" he bent in closer, trying to to catch my eye. I immediately felt a sudden desire to pull back, to get away from him closing in on me. "Listen, Alice. I—"

He was cut off as the tinkling of a bell in the main room diverted both of our attentions. I inhaled through my teeth, my head whipping over towards the swinging door. I could hear Mr. Barb, his heavy footsteps coming closer...

"Alice? Are you in there? Why aren't the lights on yet?"

"Right here, sir!" I dropped my voice to a frantic whisper. "Leo, you need to--" I spun to look for the Turtle…only to find he had disappeared.

My relief hadn't had time to sink in before the door was pushed open with great force. I don't know what Leonardo had done, but it was enough to give Mr. Barb a slightly tinged complexion from irritation. I hoped today wouldn't be a bad one.

"I'm sorry Mr. Barb, ran into some complications myself." It was true enough, sort of.

He grabbed his spotted apron off a hook and threw it on. "Just get to work, Miss McKellen. I called Johnson to ask him to come in early. Jason will also be here." The last statement was definitely a finality. Jason valued his life, that much was certain. He would be here. I nodded and moved out of the room, grateful that I was able to wriggle out of any confrontation. He seemed distracted.

I set the coffee on; it was one of the favorites here, well known and highly demanded from customers. It was very calming doing something normal, being back at work…but I couldn't help the fact that I felt disappointed. I wished that there had been enough time for Leonardo to finish what he had began.


	14. Another Day, Another Dollar

**Hey all! I hope everyone has had an awesome Christmas and New Year. I know these past two months have been really crazy for me.  
First of all, thanks to everyone who has messaged me and encouraged me to continue writing. It has egged me on and helped me procure another chapter. I hope to continue this story, writing whenever I have time, and that it gets more and more interesting with each chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

And I've collected all these thoughts  
I'm dying just to lose them

If your words are true or not  
I'll die trying to prove them  
But I'll just have to accept  
That my mind is so inept  
And the only thing that's left  
For me to do is to trust you

Convince me  
Because I really need your help  
Oh convince me  
Because I can't see this for myself

I'll put the emphasis on the evidence  
Begging for the proof  
Sometimes the hardest thing to believe is the truth

It's a world full of cynics  
They say to stay alive in it  
You gotta stick with what you know  
But the soul is always aching  
For the heart to start taking  
A chance by letting go

Let go

"The Truth" by Relient K

* * *

"Where've you been, Leo?"

Leonardo entered the underground abandoned station, his home and the dwelling. His family was currently situated around the television. Donny, the speaker, twisted around to get a better view. Leo didn't reply right away. Master Splinter stepped in.

"It is my guess, that Leo has been doing a little investigating," his eyes were shrewd.

The blue-glad ninja turtle sighed, sinking into a chair and nodding. He needed to talk about this with them. "Have any of you noticed that Alice was behaving funny last night?"

"This has to do with Alice?" Mikey seemed almost cautious.

"Yeah, I noticed," Raphael muttered answering the question.

"Me too. She seemed rather unhappy," Don scratched his chin.

"It's because she was lying."

There was a moment when all of the brothers took this in. Raphael almost looked apathetic, as if he expected this to come. Don's brow shot up and Mikey looked offended that Leo would say such a thing.  
"About what?" he asked, perplexed.

"About what happened on the roof. It _had_ been a diversion, we were right."

There was a pause. "Knew it," Raph grunted. Mikey shot him a 'this-isn't-helping look.' It was weird seeing it on his usually upbeat, often- immature face.

"Well, I had a chance to talk with her," Leonardo said quietly, he did not disclose the details as to how and when. "I tailed her, and we got in a discussion. There was a little...miscommunication on our parts. Though, all of this is not her fault. It's overwhelming." Leo relayed everything she had spoken about concerning the stranger on the roof. Everyone gazed back at him intently, except for his sensei who seemed to be smiling about something Leo didn't know and couldn't fathom. No one spoke at first, then...

"Was that nutter trying to threaten us?" Donny looked uncomfortable, and he wasn't the only one.

"Why's that they want Alice anyway? How do they even know her?" Mikey piped up.

"I'm not sure," Leo mused. "It's most likely that the enemies we fought at that Starbucks have something to do with it. No doubt that affected others of their kind. They could be trying to use her to get to us, but then again…they showed that interest in her the first night," he hesitated. "She's not safe."

"Why didn't she just trust us the first night instead o' fibbing last night?" Raphael grunted.

"Think of the situation she was in. I imagine she was very unsure, it probably didn't help that some of us weren't as friendly as we could've been," Leo's voice was firm, but his shoulders sagged the slightest bit in shame. His brothers didn't say anything.

"How do you know she was completely sincere last night when you spoke to her?" Master Splinter watched Leo closely

"She was, sir. I think she had been tired of keeping things in anyway."

"Oh Al," Mikey shook his head with a sigh.

"So…" Leonardo continued, he couldn't believe he was taking her side so much. It wasn't as if this Alice girl was all that important. He just pitied her, yeah that was it. She was just a human girl after all. They had no connection. He went on. "…I think we should bring her in today and talk to her more directly. Tell her more about ourselves and how we came to be."

"I think that, my son, is a good idea." Master Splinter smiled and bowed his head. "You are learning well. Now pick up your garbage, Michaelangelo, perhaps our gust won't think us as utter slobs."

* * *

"We need to invest in roller skates," I grinned, dangling my feet off the counter.

Jason rolled his eyes, he was still in a bad mood from the rude awakening. Anytime he had to be rolled out of bed before eight in the morning was an abomination. I ignored his grumps.

"Yeah and have you tripping all over the place, dumping food everywhere?" Mr. Barb had lightened up since earlier. It was nearing lunchtime, our rush hour, and I still had not discovered what the matter had been with my boss. "Our paying customers would be racing each other out the door."

I igored the remark, still with the silly smile on my face. It felt like it had been far too long since I had been this light.

"It's so cool, though. Instead of clumping on over to tables, you glide."

"Alice, table four is about ready for their check. Glide on over, will you?" Mr. Barb's eyes didn't miss a thing. Jason snorted.

I printed out the receipt and grabbed a black tray. I made my footsteps quick and light, just for my boss and my grumpy co-worker. It wasn't the same as roller skating.

Lunch hour came and went, we were busy. So busy that it was easy for me to keep my mind off of upcoming events. Off of certain turtle figures. However, when things slowed down…and they did, there was more waiting time for me. Very few people were in now, Mr. Barb was working away in the kitchen and Jason was snoozing on the folding chair he had produced from nowhere. The new employee, Leif Johnson was wiping the tables.

The nice thing about having a new worker, they did an especially good job so that we got to slack off a little more. Just until Leif wised up, that is. My eyes slid sideways at the slumbering Jason. This time I was the one rolling my eyes.

"Excuse me?"

A smooth voice grabbed my attention. I was slightly startled to see a man sitting up at the counter but a few feet from me. I had not seen him enter.

"Yes sir?" I brightened up, stepping over. "How may I help you?"

He seemed to survey my facial expression and grinned. Catching my enthusiasm maybe? I had tried to dazzle everyone I could that day with the warmest smile I could work up. I wasn't sure what made me want to, but making other people happy seemed to the same for me.

"Oh, I'm from out of town and I hear this place has good coffee. I got out of work earlier than expected, so I decided to come here."

"Glad you chose Barb's Diner," my commercializing voice came in here a little. Hmm, perhaps if I tried extra hard, October's employee of the month would be me. I smirked a little, doubting it. "How do you take your coffee?"

"Black, please…that's how you get the best taste. Sugar and especially creamer distract from real quality."

"Wow," I joked, going over to the coffee pot. "You sound like you know your stuff. Hopefully we'll meet your expectations."

I noticed at this point how attractive the man was. He looked to be in maybe his early twenties. His hair was dark and spiky, rather short but extremely thick. His eyes were very dark, perhaps black…but they seemed to radiate warmth. When he smiled, the warmth hit his eyes and made them twinkle. He had a prominent chin, a flawless olive complexion, and very straight teeth. The more I spied him out of the corner of my eye, the more I wondered if he was a model.

"Here you are, second best coffee in New York," I grinned, handing him the mug.

"Second best?" he quirked an eyebrow and gave a curious smirk. I noticed that this was indeed a very appealing facial expression.

I leaned forward, shooting a look behind me to make sure I had no listeners.

"Raizer's on Angle street has amazing coffee," I muttered.

"Oh really?" he looked amused, not even glancing at his own drink. "Tell me, Alice," I saw his eyes flicker to my nametag and felt a deep satisfaction of sorts when he spoke my name. "What props do you get for advertising other resturaunts at your place of work?"

"Well, maybe not employee of the month exactly," I replied, glancing off. He barked a laugh. It took me off guard because I had been expecting the movie-star laugh, and his was…rather nerdy.

"But…" I went on.

"Ooh, there's a 'but'" He lifted his mug to sip.

"…the atmosphere is no good at Raizer's. So if you want your coffee, get it and go. It's dirtier there, in my opinion. The décor is horrible, blegh! and you don't even get to smell your coffee properly because the waitresses wear so much perfume," I complained, with an audible joking tone in my voice. I know, I was being a flirt…but this rarely ever happened. Men never seemed to notice me.

"How horrible," the man sympathized, teasing.

"Exactly. They don't pay enough attention to the customers. They check themselves out in compacts more than they see to their own tables."

He seemed to pause, I worried that I had gone too far in blabbering. What was my problem?

"You're right. Coffee should be enjoyed somewhere where waitresses are not _only_ pretty but sociable and interesting as well," he smiled.

"Mmhmm," I turned to grab my notepad as some other people entered. _Wait, the look he gave me…_ I swung my head back towards the man. He was watching me, smile still lighting up his perfect features.

My answering smile was shy, and I quickly flitted to wait on my next table. I never flirted with single men. I could feel his eyes on me at least once as I disappeared behind to the counter to get the family their drinks. I shook off some strange jitters and marched over to the laziest employee in the world, my chastising tone kicking in.

"Jason," I snapped my fingers in his face after collecting the cups for the family. I made sure we were out of earshot of the man sitting at the counter.

He jumped suddenly, nearly falling off of the chair and dumping himself on the floor. I felt a slight stab of disappointment that he hadn't.

"Get to work, we've got a couple at table one."

Jason groaned and picked himself off the chair, blinking away the remnants of sleep.

After I delievered the drinks to the family of four, I could've sworn I felt those mysterious black eyes of the man on me again. I felt almost a flutter of fear, and reality.

_No, after last night…don't take any chances, Alice. _

The memory seemed to kick sense into me. I busied myself and when the man asked for another coffee, Leif got it for him. The five year old at my table knocked over a large cup of pop, taking a good amount of my time as I rushed over to help clean up. The parents were a little peeved, seeing as most of their food was drenched with Coke now. After mopping, I offered to get them something new to replace it.

By the time I returned behind the counter, I experienced a sense of relief. The man was gone, finally. The relief was short lived. As my day went on and boredom ensued, I missed the adrenaline of the conversation…and perhaps the way he had looked at me. No, he couldn't be one of….them. He had seemed so much warmer and put at ease. Soon, my thoughts were drifting off in the direction of the Turtles. I punched buttons in the register absently. Hours leaked by slowly. I found that my eyes flickered towards the round face of the clock frequently. Supper rush came and went, and I soon found myself sweeping the resturaunt floor.

Jason was just leaving, he had had enough of this shift and was most likely going home to play video games and then sleep. Donning his jacket on the way to the door, he gave me a slight nod of farewell and I inclined my own head too. Oftentimes, the after effects of the dinner rush leave us all very quiet. Soft music played in the background and there were but a few customers mingling about.

I was just nudging the dirt and candy wrappers into the dust pan when Mr. Barb emerged from the swinging kitchen door.

"Alice!"

I flinched a bit as his loud voice broke the numb, quiet bubble I was hiding myself in.  
"Yessir?"

"You can leave now, we shouldn't need much more help tonight."

"Really?" I perked up, the broom handle slipped in my hand.

"Yeah, just get goin'. I hear there is a mighty storm coming our way."

I was unable to hide my joy at being let out two hours earlier than I had suspected. Warmth flooded my cheeks and I frisked to the closet door to get rid of the cleaning utensils.

I shoved my left hand into my pocket once outside. A cold breeze whipped through my hair, making me shiver. Lifting my right wrist to my face, I read my watch: nearly seven o' clock. I had spent my entire day, dawn to dusk at the resturaunt. Hadn't I been invited by Leonardo to go see the Turtles? I bit my lip, sheilding myself as much as I could from the pelting sleet. No, I would just head home to my apartment. If they wanted me, he probably could and would and find me. My next shiver had nothing to do with the cold. Hmmm.

A bus screeched to a stop at the sidewalk. The door slid open and I boarded. I paid the driver, a man wearing so much winter padding that I couldn't distinguish any of his features, and shuffled down the aisle of the bus. I absently checked for messages on my cell as I walked towards the back of the bus. _Nothing. Though, I suppose it would be kinda weird to see Leonardo send me a text message._ I was jolted out of my train of thought.

The bus screeched to a jerky start before I could get seated. Losing my footing, I tripped and fell onto the dirty, sticky floor of the aisle. I struggled to get up, ready to give the bus driver a peice of my mind when I realized two things: One, the bus was totally empty except for me. Two: We were hurtling through the strangely streets New York, horns blaring at us from all directions. The lights flickered off.


	15. Never Mess with a NY Bus Driver

**Well, it certainly has been a while since I have picked up this story. I understand many of you were disappointed that I stopped. I cannot guarantee that I will finish this story in a timely manner, but hopefully the ending will come about, regardless. Thank you all for the kind reviews. I also want to apologize for the grammar mistakes and the overall naïve writing found in the former chapters. I was a bit younger when I started this story. ****Ha, I apologize again for the mistakes I continue to make.** Someday I will go back and edit everything to a fuller extent, but right now I am just feeling too lazy and don't have that kind of time. 

**Please continue to review. Tips and/or ideas are welcome. Enjoy!**

* * *

"No!" My voice was but a whisper, not the shout I had wanted. The irony of it all crashed around me and for a moment, I felt pure frustration and indignation. How come every day of my life had to be an ordeal? For a moment I was tempted to scream curses at the bus driver about how he had ruined my day.

I let my breath out and worked on calming myself down. It was because I had been hanging out with the Turtles, right? Now I was the only person trapped inside this bus with a crazy someone (or something) flying this contraption through downtown. This thought caused me to get a tighter grip on the seats near me. I began sorting through my options as rationally as I could.

Going up to the bus driver was out of the question. If I attacked him-or tried to-we'd both end up killed. Besides, I was scared silly of _what_ was driving and therefore was not going to venture up to it. So I went in the opposite direction. Most buses have an emergency exit in the back, don't they? Perhaps if he just slowed down enough…maybe I could jump out. I could hear police sirens now although they failed to give me much comfort. If these creepy creatures were at the bottom of this, I had a feeling there was not much human beings could do.

We were going so fast. I tripped and fell several times whenever the bus lurched violently. It was a good thing I had never been prone to motion sickness or the bus janitors would have a big mess to attend to. If I even survived…

I dialed Hunter's number as I went. The cell rang and rang.

I nearly had a heart attack as we swerved violently and I fell again. Before I hit the floor, I saw a semi truck whoosh past us. It looked like we were getting out of the downtown area. The police sirens were beginning to fade away. How the frig could they lose a target this size? I raised the cell phone numbly to my ear as I steadied myself against another seat. I called my apartment, hoping maybe Hunter…or someone…was there. No sound other than ringing. I kept pressing on towards the back of the bus.

I abandoned the phone idea and shoved it back in my jeans. I reached the back of the bus and hurriedly began patting down the door. There! A hatch! I threw a glance behind me. He was watching me through the rearview mirror, craning his head over. I bit my lip, it was not as if there was much he could do to stop me. I pulled the hatch, heaving my weight on the door.

I was surprised how easily it opened. It opened fast. I gasped and released the hatch as the air rushed in at me. I fell back. It was swinging erratically at the speed of the bus. We were in some weird, dark industrial-looking area. He was not slowing down. I bit my lip harder. It would most likely kill me if I jumped out. There were still one or two cars swerving out of the way, horns blaring. No cops.

Where was a Turtle when you needed one?

The bus lurched again and for a moment I saw my life flash before my eyes. I fell to the side and almost out the open hatch. My fingers had a death grip on the seat nearest me.

I waited for the bus to slow down. What other choice did I have? Fear crawled its way up my spine, the danger was finally beginning to sink in. My breath was starting to come in short, hysteric pants. I scrambled to my feet at the same time the driver of the bus hit the breaks. Tires skidded on the pavement. I grabbed for one of the seats to regain my balance, but I was falling away from the hole and towards the front of the bus. He accelerated again. The bus was still going way too fast for me to jump out unscathed. Had I missed my only chance? I locked on to one of the seat legs, holding on for dear life.

Seconds passed by, I couldn't see anything save for the sticky floor of the aisle. More tires screeched, we took a nauseatingly sharp turn.

I tried a second time.

Mustering up my courage, I lifted my head up, using one hand to prop myself up. I twisted my head around toward the open exit a few feet from me. I had meant to find out where we were by peeking out…but a dark figure stood in the doorway of the emergency hatch. We were slowing down.

I started scrambling away from the man-shaped figure, not wasting time studying his features.

I didn't get far. The weight of someone's foot crushed my back into the ground. Immense strength held me fast to the floor. For all my struggling and squirming, I could not free myself. I tried to twist my torso around to see who was stomping on me, but quick as lightning, I felt a strap of cloth obscure my vision. Blindfolded. My heart was in my mouth as my captor tied a knot at the back of my head. Screaming now? No, not yet...surprisingly.

_Calm down, calm down….oh Turtles, where are you?_

Why, oh why had I never asked to see if they had a phone number?

"You're a quiet one, aren't you?" The voice made my pulse stop for a few solid seconds. It was strange voice, with a strange accent. "You really_ must_ be different than the rest of them."

_Different? Than the rest of them? What is wrong with me? Why am I here?_

One thought prevailed upon me above all others: _They found me._ The stranger had warned me to stay away from the Turtles and now I was captured by creepy, heat-sucking monsters.

The sickening fast motion of the bus had declined rapidly. I could tell we were slowing to a stop, or a near-stop. A strong hand yanked my jacket, pulling me up effortlessly.

I yelped shortly at this sudden motion and the strength of my captor. He pressed me uncomfortably into a row of seats in the bus.

"Not totally quiet," a soft chuckle amended. The voice was like acid. That was the only thing that came to mind when describing his voice: bubbling, metal-eating acid.

Acid-voice barked out an order…to the bus driver? He spoke in a totally alien language; slippery-sounding and yet coarse at the same time. The bus stopped, then. My heart was hammering for all it was worth. _No, don't whimper Alice…don't cry. Maybe they won't kill you right away…_

I felt my feet leave the floor, swung up into the wiry arms of the terrible man. We were off. The gait of the man carrying me was smooth and inhuman. I felt a scary weightless feeling for a second, then his body hitting the ground as he landed on the pavement. Above me, he called to the bus driver again. His voice was a slithering hiss, a different language. Telling the bus driver to…hurry up?

I made one frantic attempt to escape, arching my body and twisting.

"Now, now, make this easier for the both of us…" came the thickly accented voice of my captor, seizing my wrists. I wondered why he did not simply tie me up, but his superhuman strength was more than enough to subdue me in seconds.

"What did I do?" I asked him. "What do you want?"

There was no answer and my heart continued to pound unrelentingly.

My fists tightened at the sound of the other whispering voices. More of them. The language was strange to me, but even more frightening was the familiarity I sensed in the words. It was almost as if I could understand the meaning. My imagination was just going out of control. That had to be it.

There was an intense heat radiating from my captor so that my only shivers were of pure fear and not cold. Eventually, we can to a stop and I perceived another voice. A greeting? Asking them if they had been followed?

_Don't be ridiculous, Alice. You don't know what's going on or what they are saying in that crude language._

"Open the door," my captor seemed to say and there was a thumping noise in response.

There was a click, some more soft voices and suddenly the acoustics changed. I heard a door slam behind us and the sound echoed. We were inside a building now and it sounded like a large one. My captor's footsteps were heavy and loud as he carried me. I was still breathing loudly.

He dropped me suddenly. I screamed, but stopped when I felt something under my butt. A chair.

"Shut up," muttered a voice nearby. It was not the voice of my captor, who was easily fighting my struggles with large, hot hands.

My captor spoke presently, as well, "Miss McKellen, I will break your arms if you do not stop them."

Although he spoke in a gentle and subdued voice, the threat was there. I held still, swallowing. The creature's iron strength would not be contended with. I was outnumbered. The desperation of the situation was sinking in. I had continued to affiliate myself with the Turtles despite the warning. I was dead now.

"Good, good," my captor released me, "Now I will remove your blindfold. If you get off this chair, I will make it so you will physically not be able to get off it again. Do you understand?"

I did not say anything. I did not even remember how to speak. What a chicken.

"I said, do you understand?" More forceful this time.

"Yes," I croaked.

The blindfold disappeared before I could feel him touch it. My dilated pupils took in all they could in the dusty, freezing, and dark room. The only light came from small windows in this big, warehouse-like room. Or perhaps it was a gym. Either way, I had never been here before. My breathing was the loudest sound in the room. I tried to get it under control.

My captor was the first silhouette I could make out in the shadows. He was backing away to get a look at me, stuffing the blindfold in his jacket pocket. I could just make out the shadow of facial hair on his face and the handsome jaw and cheekbones before he stepped back into the shadows with three other forms. I recognized one of the forms as the bus driver. He had removed some of his clothing garb, but I still could not see his face clearly.

The other two forms were much taller. I recognized the shock of white hair that erupted from the head on the far right. He had been there the during the battle at Starbucks. I could see the flash of his white teeth grinning at me. I was confused. I sensed impatience emanating from them, but also...amusement? I remembered this blonde-head had smirked at me last time, too.

Finally, the other tall character stepped forward. This was the man who had softly told me to 'shut up.' He was the leader of operations. I could make out his features better as he turned his face down to look at me. I had to squint to see in the dark, huge room.

I saw why I had not been tied up. These men were not afraid of me getting away. Their very presence rooted me to the chair in fear. This big man, this leader…He was the one who warned me on the roof before we went to see April and Casey several nights ago. I knew inexplicably that it was him. He was not as handsome as the others, and twice as frightening. I found myself leaning back in the chair.

"Do you know who we are, Miss McKellen?" he spoke, and it erased any doubt from my mind. It was the rooftops man. His voice was saturated with the same accent my captor had spoken with: deep and rough. It almost sounded Russian, but darker and with a different enunciation.

A small silence passed. He was waiting for my answer. I knew I needed to gather my wits and speak.

"I just know you are enemies of the Turtles. I don't know anything else." Best play it safe.

A chuckle from one of them.

"Do you know why they consider us their enemies?" continued the leader.

The story Splinter had told seemed centuries ago. I could not seem to recall it. My mouth was dry. I shook my head. When was the killing part coming? Or were they going to do something worse? I folded my trembling hands.

"It is because they fear us. We were formed in a completely opposite fashion, one could say. They do not know us or our culture, only that we mysteriously confound their precious ninjutsu."

Another chuckle from one of those behind him. This was strange. This leader seemed awfully conversational.

"Do you know who _you _are?"

I stared at him, dumbstruck. My shaking stopped. I knew perfectly well who I was. Why wouldn't I? Confusion mingled with the fear.

"Sir, what if they find us—" my captor cut in suddenly. He sounded, for the first time, anxious. The leader held his hand up to silence him. His eyes did not leave my face. I also looked him in the eye...or tried to.

"Our ancestors contracted a disease in South America," the leader told me, starting up a story out of nowhere. "Hundreds of years ago they played with the wrong witchcraft magic, or should I say, the _right_ magic. They became what you see before you. Imagine having super-human strength, intelligence, and powers of disguise beyond human comprehension. The sickness killed off those who were weak, at first. Then, it settled into their bloodlines and became a part of them. The tribe expanded and grew. They kept to themselves. They were not large enough to expand to other continents, yet. It did not take long.

"Wherever they went, the mutation changed their appearances so they blended in. This enabled them to take in energy from new environments more easily. They called themselves the 'Amigos da Terra,' or 'Friends of the Earth' because of the connection they felt to the earth as they absorbed energy. Now we are the Nephilim.

"We are here in New York because of the massive amounts of power we can absorb. It is actually quite obvious. Big cities contain so much more than trifling rain forests."

This strange man spoke leisurely, smiling as he went. He wanted me to know all this. I, of course, was locked into every word he said. This was not a death threat. This was information. How could they kidnap me with the goal of telling me things? I thought about what Splinter had said about these strangers (I was now able to recall it). This new information seemed to fit perfectly. The other three were silent the entire time, watching and listening. Now the leader had come to a pause.

The pause stretched on; he was waiting for me to speak.

"Um, sorry, but...what do you want with me?" Ugh, they might just kill me for the mere fact I sounded like a imbecile.

"You have nothing to offer us. _We_ have something to offer _you._"

Utter confusion and shock made my mind go blank. I was sure it showed on my face. I felt their amusement even more so. The leader's eyes flashed with an unrecognizable gleam as he continued:

"Let me explain. You…you are here…because your mother slept with one of our kind, a Nephilim. She conceived you. Although diluted by worthless human genetics, our blood still runs in your veins."

I had been following along fine until now. My stomach dropped like a rock. What? Was...was he telling me that I was...like _them_?

"You can understand our language, to an extent. You have naturally warm skin. Humans find our undisguised beauty terrifying and overpowering. Without our magic to deceive them, humans panic at our appearances. However, you sit here and listen calmly because we look normal to you."

Did I tell them they had the wrong person or play along? I certainly knew who my father was. My mom married Hunter's father and had him before she had given birth to me. I knew my mom, and she would not have slept with a monster. This guy was going through an awful lot of trouble to explain all of this. Surely that was what made my stomach squirm so uncomfortably.

He laughed, an awful sound, "You don't believe me. McKellen, you are half Nephilim. We followed your sent to the coffee shop that night those infernal mutants interrupted. Why else do you think we were there?"

He was off his rocker. All of them were. I looked nothing like them. I had no special powers or abilities and other people saw me as normal, too! But...but...they _had_ tried to make off with me at the Starbucks. If they had wanted just any human to kill, they could have taken one of the girls at the cash register. I suddenly remembered the reaction of those poor girls before they were killed. Those Nephilim guys had appeared as something terrifying to them.

_No...no...this is not real. You would freakin' know it if you were a freakin' monster, Alice!_

"Sir, I can sense their approach," came the soft voice of my captor.

"Good," the leader came a step closer. I could now make out the black eyes, long nose, and hard features of his face. He was wearing a long coat. He had no hair on his head, which accentuated the hardness of his face even more. My pulse picked up, what should I do?

"McKellen, you may tell your genetically altered turtles they are far outnumbered and that they should stand down. Taichi, their legendary master, was not harmful to our ancestors, but he stuck his nose where it did not belong. That is what decided his fate. Out of respect for him, tell your friends that if they leave now…they will be spared.

"As for you, Miss McKellen, we have the means to make you a full member of our tribe.

"We will come for you again, and should you accept, you will gain power and a place as a true Nephilim. Remain with the mutant turtles and your fate will be...unfortunate. Think about it, Alice McKellen. There is no room in this city for half-breeds."

There it was: the death threat. I opened my mouth to ask them a question, but a shattering of glass broke the intense atmosphere. I whipped my head around to see figures breaking through the glass, one familiar voice shouting, "ALICE!" at the top of his lungs. At the sound of Leo's voice I felt warmth rush into my veins. Finally. _Finally._

Wait. My eyes instantly went back to the leader Nephilim and his group. They were fading into the darkness. I heard a sharp laugh permeate the air and echo through the room. They were gone. Absorbed by the darkness. I was still.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came rushing over, brandishing weapons. Mikey was getting into his war cry, nun chucks flying away. He landed powerfully where the group had been standing only seconds before.

"Where are you, little insects?" Raph suddenly joined him. They began pointing their weapons around the room, looking to find the creatures. I could hear the others approaching. Pure relief made me feel suddenly weaker. I slumped back in the chair. I knew the Nephilim were gone. I was alive.


	16. The Enemy of Turtles

**No, the Nephilim are not vampires. I've had the idea for this story long before "Twilight" was ever popular. Anyhoo, moving on...**

* * *

Two large hands grabbed me by the shoulders and lifted me clear off the chair. Leo's blue-masked face came into view. His dark brown eyes were tight with worry.

"Alice! Are you alright?"

I swallowed and blinked, trying to find my voice. His grip felt very strong around my shoulders. I focused on Leo's expression. Calmness rose in the midst of the storm raging inside of me.

"Um, yes?" it sounded like a question. He set me down and then began examining my body for injuries. I really was alright. I numbly smoothed my jacket down where it had been scrunched up by his grip. "I'm…they did not hurt me, Leo."

"Hurry, Mikey, Raph! Go after them! Outside!" Leo shouted over my head. I could hear more banging around. They certainly weren't worrying about being subtle.

My mind was still in processing mode: _They came to talk. They went through the trouble of capturing me in order to talk to me._ That sounded incredibly unbelievable. The guys would not believe this.

_I_ did not believe this.

"They could not have gone far!" came Donnie's voice. I highly doubted that. They had planned on the Turtles' appearance. They knew they could get away ahead of time, without an issue. Leo was now watching my face, not paying attention to anyone else. What would I tell him? Would he and the others laugh if I told them there was a possibility of me being half-monster? The idea was so ludicrous it was laughable.

Yet…I was not laughing. The Nephilim were more than just bullies. They were not stupid, either.

…but they had to have the wrong girl! _My mom, Rachel McKellen_…I suddenly visualized her face. There was no way. She was totally in love with my father way before I was born. There was no way she would have slept with a monster.

"Alice," Leo folded his impressive arms. "What happened?"

I looked at my hands, as if expecting to see them turn white or…maybe I would sprout tentacles or a horn out of my head.

"They wanted to talk to me," my voice was full of disbelief. For a moment he just stared at me, comprehending my answer. I looked up at him and shared the surprised sentiment.

"They sat you down in that chair to talk with you?" He pointed at the simple wooden chair, standing innocently behind me. Did he doubt me? _Hey pal, just as perplexed as you are!_

"Yeah," I said inadequately.

He seemed to be surveying me pretty hard. Suddenly, his gaze overwhelmed me and I looked away. Did he think I was lying?

The sound of a door opening and closing in the dark room sounded. We turned to see Raphael and Michelangelo hastening over.

"What did they say to you?" Raph demanded, striding right over to me. I shrank back at his tones. What would he think he if he knew I was supposedly half-Nephilim?

"Stop it, Raphael," Leo snapped, coming to life. "She is shaken up enough as it is. Where did they go, you two?"

"Gone," Mikey sighed.

"It appears as if they have left no discernible sign whatsoever," Don joined in. He, also, looked at me. The purple-clad Turtle turned to me, "Are you hurt, Alice? We were almost certain they were using you to lure us in."

I shook my head, "They spoke to me. Their leader talked to me about what they were. He…wanted me to deliver a message to you."

There was a silence as they processed this.

"Al, we shoulda not left you alone. Are you sure you're okay?" Mikey's voice sounded uncharacteristic in concern.

I nodded, although there was hidden panic within my chest. _Don't tell them yet._

"I'm fine Mikey. I am just…so glad you guys showed up." I let out a sudden sigh, trying to expel the tension from my body.

Leo suddenly tensed up behind me, "The human police are here. Can the message wait till we get back to the lair, Alice?"

I nodded, "Yes. Let's get out of here."

Without another word, he reached behind me and scooped me off my feet. My head whirled and I quickly held on to him, thrown by this unexpected move.

"Let's get out of here, brothers."

We were not far out the back door of this industrial compound (it looked to be a factory of some kind) when a burgundy van screeched to a stop at the sidewalk ahead of us.

"That's Casey," Raph grunted. The Turtles picked up their pace.

The cops were coming in from the other end. If we did not hurry, they would be surrounding us soon. Sleet was still falling mercilessly from the sky and the pavement was slick with it. I had no idea how that Nephilim bus driver had managed through this awful weather.

I held on tighter to Leo's shell. In his haste I was being rocked around wildly. Mikey slid open the door of the van and jumped in first. Raph went for the front seat and Don went in after Mikey. Leo set me down in front of the open door and cast a final glance over his shoulder, where the sirens came from. I hastened to get in and sit down.

No one spoke to me on the ride back to the Turtle lair. Raphael said my name once, intending on asking a question. I was surprised when Leonardo shot a look at him that could curdle milk. Raph rolled his eyes and shrugged all in one move, sitting back against the worn seat. I was still very numb, but I felt that this was odd behavior for Leo. Normally, he was the one who was trying to draw every ounce of information out of me. Casey did not ask any questions but focused on navigating the roads.

We stopped in a quiet alleyway after Casey expertly maneuvered us back through the downtown area. No cops in sight. As we piled out, Leo looked at me doubtfully. It was as if he were expecting me to tumble over at any moment.

I had no idea how they were going to respond to this information.

"I can walk, Leo," I tried to smile at him, to conjure up some of the good humor I had shared with him this morning. This morning, wow…it had been so long ago.

At first I thought he would protest, but finally, he nodded his head and gestured ahead of him. Of course, he wanted to take up the rear. I hurried after Mikey as we strove to get out of the nasty weather and into the safety of the underground lair.

My thoughts were beginning to fly, now.

The Turtles would ask what happened. I would tell them exactly what the leader told me. I would tell them the truth about…about who the Nephilim thought I was. I needed all the friends I could get now, right?

_There is no room in this city for half breeds._

I bit my lip hard, repressing my fear. I looked down so the Turtles could not see my expression. The Nephilim would have no issue hunting me down and finishing me off when they found out I had no intention on joining them. However, if they could be convinced I was a human, perhaps they would let me be.

_So, Alice, are you going to sacrifice your friends for your own safety? Shouldn't you give them the chance to opt out? If the Turtles' ninjitsu really is ineffective against them, they could be injured seriously trying to protect you. Don't hide behind them. It's your problem, not theirs._

I argued with myself the entire way there. No, I had to tell the truth. They deserved that much. Their decision was their own.

No one spoke on the way down. The lair was lit dimly and it seemed to radiate a homey, warm glow. I was so relieved to be there. The danger had passed. Standing in the entrance, I felt…safe.

"Alice."

I felt a three-fingered hand on my shoulder. Leonardo was touching me, again! I blinked and stared up at him. He pointed with this other hand to the array of comfy couches that made up the Turtles' hangout area. "Please, go sit, you're making me nervous."

Although it was a request, I felt his arm firmly guiding me over to sit.

"I'm alright, Leo," I tried to persuade him, though obeying his directing.

"Really? You look as though you are going to pass out, or maybe throw up."

I knew he was trying to tease a little, make me feel at ease. I threw him a look and watched his mouth turn into a smile. Mikey dumped himself down next to me and the couch groaned under his weight. He seemed quite relaxed, although I knew that he, like the others, couldn't wait to hear what happened.

"Alright, enough waitin'," Raphael drawled in his thick Brooklyn accent, impatience finally getting the best of him. He stood in front of me, demanding, "We gotta know where they went."

I jumped when Splinter appeared on the other side of me, handing me a glass of water.

"Easy, my son," he told the red-clad Turtle. "Rushed information yields inaccurate results."

I accepted the water gratefully, thanking the sensei. I drank deeply and felt some energy restored to my body.

Luckily, Casey entered the lair at this point, distracting the group for a few moments as I tried to collect myself. Leo and Splinter stayed motionless throughout this time. Splinter seemed to be quite calm, gazing off into space. Leo stared at the floor, his body angled toward mine. I tried not to look at him too often. I had to make myself not care what he thought about me.

"Alright," Raph spoke as Casey sat down. "Alice, the longer we take, the further away those smelly bastards get!"

I sighed, ready for the inquiries this time, "It's not that simple." He narrowed his gaze on me.

"Well, enlighten me, puny human," he folded his impressive arms. Idiot. At least I would rather feel anger than fear. What the hell was his problem?

"These guys can't be brought down with brute force," I told him, and then I let my gaze pass over the rest of the group.

Everyone was quiet. I noticed something. A different tenor that rang in the atmosphere: respect and intrigue. Even Raphael's critical eyes betrayed curiosity. How did I get away from such a meeting without a scratch? Why would these creatures hunt down a seemingly normal and uninteresting girl?

I am sure they had no idea what was coming to them…

"I got on the bus thinking it was my normal ride," I began, "They knew where I would board and when I was getting off work. I am not sure how they timed it, because my boss let me out earlier than expected. I was working a double shift." I felt so tired. When was the last time I had slept? This morning seemed so far away now.

"It was only the driver and I inside. I was afraid of messing with him, so I tried to open the back hatch of the bus and escape. Unfortunately, he was driving so fast I realized it would be suicidal to jump out. I held on for dear life and hoped for an opportunity for escape. It didn't happen."

I finished the rest of the water, for my mouth already began to feel dry.

I recapped the experience of being dragged inside the empty warehouse. I described my captors to them, only leaving out how beautiful they appeared. I stayed strictly informative.

I mentioned their funny accent and how powerful the one who carried me was. I was sure the rest of them were just as capable…especially their leader. I described him using as many details as possible. This was the sort of stuff the ninjas found helpful. Indeed their faces showed they gave utmost attention. My voice was growing hoarse from speaking. It because was all the screaming I had done on the bus. I pressed on, clearing my throat.

"He told me about their beginnings in Brazil," I made eye contact with the rat, "Master Splinter, it seemed to match almost exactly with what you told us." I paused, they were following along. "Then, he revealed other things…"

I told them all the story of the Nephilim exactly as I heard it. The tension increased with every following sentence. The leader had definitely spoke about their past in a very haughty way. I could see the natural tension the Turtles felt towards these Nephilim with every passing moment. I took a breath after I had finished relaying the history lesson. It was stupid, but I felt like I was going through an ordeal just telling them everything.

I had not yet mentioned what the Nephilim told me personally. I would give the Turtles information that was most relevant to their current situation first.

"He wanted you to tell us all of this? Is that all?" Leo asked carefully.

I thought about it, "Yes I think so and, no…it's not all."

I relayed the very last bit of information their leader had given me, "He told me to tell you-the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-are far outnumbered by them and should…escape now. He then talked about Taichi. He said the ninjitsu master was not harmful to his Nephilim ancestors, but he tried to intervene in their affairs. The leader said that is what decided his fate…in other words,_ they_ are responsible." I paused. Yes, this confirmed the Nephilim's involvement in Taichi's death. I continued, "They said that out of "respect" for Taichi, if you all leave now, your lives will be spared." I ended quietly. I saw Raph bare his teeth out of the corner of my eye.

For a moment there was silence. There was anger and indignation showing on the faces around me. Splinter was reclining back with his eyes closed. I had a feeling the Turtles were going to do the complete opposite of leaving.

"He admits his ancestors murdered Taichi in cold blood and yet he expects us to surrender?" Donatello was the first to speak. This triggered everyone's exclamations at once:

"'Out of respect for Taichi?' They have no idea what respect is!" Casey sounded indignant.

"Yeah! They captured poor Al instead of talking to us face to face!" Mikey piped in.

"Fuggin' cowards. They's all talk, I say. Let's find 'em and kill them!" Raphael brought his fist down on the poor coffee table.

"Hold! Everyone!" Leo stood up and the voices calmed. The leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles held himself high and determined. His eyes sparked dangerously. I realized although the Nephilim intended to deliver a warning to the Turtles, they had only succeeded in issuing a challenge.

"These 'Nephilim' are an abomination to the history of mankind. Ever since the beginning, they have been a threat. They were the ones who landed the first blow by killing Taichi and attempting to cover it up. We have to save the city from the atrocities, this much is obvious. We are also indebted to the great Taichi and must not let his name be dishonored. "

Collective nods responded to this enthusiastic speech. I felt odd for some reason. The words 'abomination' and 'atrocities' were bouncing around painfully in my skull.

"They have to be exterminated, every last one of them." Leo's voice seemed so far away. "This magic of theirs appears to spread through breeding. We cannot allow them to spread or infect anyone else. Tomorrow, we begin the hunt."

"Butt kickin' yea!" Mikey pumped his fist in the air.

"Finally!" Raph roared, flexing his biceps. My fingers were stiff. _Nod and smile,_ Alice, I told myself. _You're just still in shock._

"We are going to have to analyze the situation carefully," Donatello was more reserved than his brothers, but his face was intense, too. "Alice mentioned they believe there is a weakness within our ninjitsu strategies."

"How do they know what our strategies are?" scoffed Raphael.

"My students…"

Splinter stood up now, and the atmosphere became calmer. He had not spoken until now.

"What is now plaguing the city is indeed of a great threat to us as well as the rest of the human population. The witchcraft the Nephilim have meddled with has made them unlike any enemy you have ever encountered before." He paused, looking around at all of us. "We must proceed with utmost caution. The atmosphere they produce _is_ damaging to us spiritually. Ninjitsu consists not only of physical skill but is grounded by spiritual unity. Until we are able to counter these effects, we cannot engage in physical confrontation right now unless it is in defense. We do not know how they might influence us. Now, we must learn all there is to learn about them. We must meditate and discover the right route to continue on."

The Turtles had nothing to say yet. Even the rowdy Raphael did not refute the words of his sensei.

A chorus of "Yes sensei" rung out in masculine tones all around me. I said nothing. My mouth was dry.

"We will not fail you, Master Splinter. Nor will we fail New York," Leo said devoutly. He stood in the middle of the room, arms spread wide. He looked around at everyone, gaze intent and words ringing with sincerity. "We will get rid of every last Nephilim until this city is safe."

_Every last one_.

Everyone nodded and stood to put their fists together.

_Every last one._

My heart skipped a beat as Splinter's eyes found mine for a half second. His gaze penetrated so deeply that I was nearly undone right there. I looked away quickly. _No! It's not me! I should just tell them right away! They will laugh and agree with me because there is no way I am a Nephilim! No friggin' way._

"Alice? Join our circle?"

Leo indicated to where their hands were all combined. They wanted me to…be a part of this? Splinter was no longer looking at me with that intensity. Had I dreamed it? Was I paranoid?

I nodded and smiled numbly. They chanted a few things and went through their normal little ritual before breaking the huddle. Everyone seemed determined, not celebratory. I suppose that was the right mindset to have in this situation. Part of me wanted just to go home. Then, part of me was afraid to go home.

I sat down again. I was working myself up to tell them the full story, but for some reason all I could hear were Leo's determined words in my head. I felt as though there was a weight on my chest and I realized I was afraid of their reaction. What if they believed the Nephilim and _did _condemn me?

"Alice. Gosh, you've been through a lot!" said a voice near my ear. I jumped. Mikey. My heart softened around the edges when I saw his kind face right by my shoulder. I shrugged as if it were no big deal. It was not as if I wanted to attract attention.

Too late.

Leo moved away from Casey and Splinter, now, coming to join Mikey and I. I felt like shrinking into the ground in front of him.

"Alice, are you sure they did not hurt you?"

"Yes, yes," I forced a smile. "I'm…just a little shaken up. Do you think I could go home?"

For a moment Leo looked blank, as if such a concept had not occurred to him.

"I dunno if that's the best idea Al," Mikey was the first to react. "The weather's pretty wacko out there, dudette."

"He's right," Leo agreed, suddenly. "Will any family or friends come looking for you tonight? Call them and make something up about your whereabouts. You need to stay here tonight. It is late, besides."

I shrugged. I tried to shove all my feelings beneath the surface. There was no reason to feel uneasy. The Nephilim had found the wrong girl. Those so-called "connections" I shared with them were due to my stress and perhaps coincidence. I should be able to feel as though I belong here in the Turtle lair. I am not an intruder.

"Mikey, can you get something for her to eat? Something with sugar in it. She's white." Leo crouched down in front of me so our eyes were near the same level.

Frig, now I was drawing in the attention.

"I just am tired," I said. "But, thanks for letting me stay here again."

Mikey got us both some food, though not bothering to heat it up. I nibbled on the cold chicken leg. It was actually quite tasty, but I did not have much appetite. The others talked and Leo disappeared. What would he think if he knew? I tried to imagine the change of his countenance, how his face would darken and his back turn towards me. I was unable to take another bite of the chicken.

Several minutes passed by in silence. The others were talking about possible schemes. Mikey tried to get me to eat more but I politely refused.

"Alice."

I turned. Leo was standing over by the kitchen area of the lair, arms folded.

"Follow me."

This was it. He expected something. What was he going to do? Maybe he would just make me leave, tell me to vacate the city and never come back? My heart pumped harder and harder. If it were true, if I were part Nephilim, it wasn't my fault!

I kept my head held high as I stood and walked over to him. He led me past the kitchen and through a dim hallway. I saw doors on either side, which I presumed were their bedrooms.

Why was he taking me back here? He must really have something private to say. It was so dark; I could hardly see where we were going. Towards the end of the hallway we stopped. Strange, his expression did not seem upset or even the least bit suspicious. Leo pushed the last door on the right open. Warm light seeped out at us. Instead of going in first, he gestured for me to go ahead. I shot him a careful look through my lashes, not quite sure what we were doing.

I stepped carefully toward the room and peeked inside. My jaw dropped a fraction. This was not the kind of bedroom I expected from Leonardo, the head Turtle and sidekick to the spiritual rat.

Thick, dark carpet ran underfoot. Two modern lamps lit the room, the smaller one on the dresser and a floor lamp next to his bed. A bookshelf was loaded with literature from top to bottom at the far corner of the room. His bed was a stack of mattresses that came to about my waist. The bed was made neatly with a modern black and white striped comforter and several gold-colored pillows. Opposite the bed sat a humongous stereo system (complete with surround sound), LED flat screen, Playstation 3, and several high stacks of CDs. There was a separate cabinet for Blu-ray.

I finally looked back at Leo, because he seemed to be waiting for my reaction. Enjoying it, actually, for he was smirking at me.

"You weren't expecting my room to look like this," he said knowingly.

I suddenly felt strangely awkward and my heart did a weird flip, "Why…why are you showing me your crap?" …the crap in your _bedroom. _He rolled his eyes. Hopefully, he could not detect the slight hysteric edge my voice had to it.

"I thought you would be more comfortable sleeping here than on the couch," he explained, as if it were obvious.

"Oh," I was so dumbfounded by this I had no idea what to say. This was much different than the confrontation I was expecting. I looked back at the bed and my insides felt all…squiggly.

"Do not look so...shocked. Master Splinter raised us to be gentlemen, you know."

I stared at him. Could Turtles blush? Perhaps I was just imagining his slight embarrassment.  
"A rat teaching etiquette? No, I don't know," I knew I was being difficult.

"Alice, are you going to be serious, or not?" his voice lost the patient edge.

I flushed hot this time. I looked down to hide it. My non-slip workshoes were still on, fabulously black and hideous-looking.

"You're not going to get sleep any time soon out there," he jerked his head toward the main den. "You need rest. So unless you have an ethical reason why not—"

_Ethical? Actually, yes._

"Where are YOU going to sleep?" I interrupted. There, I had said it. My damn face was lit like a Christmas tree. A Christmas tree on fire. I made my eyes focus into Leo's.  
If I wasn't so flustered myself, I would be very entertained by the tinge the Turtle's face took on. Realization seemed to dawn on him. He answered quickly, and roughly:

"Out in the den, of course!"

"Oh okay, fine then," I said quickly.

"Right. Um…good night, then."

"Good night."

He was gone.

I stood there for several seconds, brooding over my idiocy. _Alice, stupid Alice. Of course he wasn't going to stay in his room while you were there. Why did you have to open your dumbass mouth?_ Mechanically, I moved to close the door. I stared at the bed for a few seconds before commanding myself to shut off the lights and get in bed. He had been right about one thing: I _would _be more comfortable in here than on the couch. I could hear voices coming from the main den. I knew their planning and muttering would only make me more uneasy. I needed to shut everything down right now and get some rest. I could not help one final thought:

Tomorrow, I had work to do and it was not at Barb's Diner. No, I would use my day off to do some real investigation. I would speak with someone who would have real answers.

Tomorrow, I would go talk to my mother.


End file.
